North Pike trustees changed course Tuesday, casting a split vote to return to school next month on a five-day-per-week schedule.
The board voted 3-2 for the traditional plan, reversing their decision the previous week to open on a hybrid schedule of A and B days for different sets of students.
Trustees Scott Campbell, Freddie Deer and Chris Richardson supported the change, with Jamie Jackson and Etta Taplin opposed. The previous vote for the hybrid schedule was 4-1, with only Campbell opposed.
Along with a traditional start — and some timing and spacing concessions for social distancing and cleaning — the district will allow any families to choose online instruction.
However, “those who choose the virtual option have to have the necessary facilities to do so,” Superintendent Dennis Penton said Wednesday. “They need to have a suitable device and an adequate internet connection, or a place they can go to get connected.”
Penton said the district is working on ways to provide adequate internet service at school sites, though the details are still being worked out.
While students will go to school every day, those days will be shorter, Penton said.
“That will give our teachers time to plan and implement the virtual component,” he said.
To accomplish that, he said recess periods would be shortened or eliminated, and instruction for activity periods such as physical education and music would be modified so less time is spent there and exposure to other students and teachers will be limited.
Although Penton had concerns about requiring masks last week, because of possible disciplinary issues, he said the board adopted rules requiring masks on buses at all times and in congested, high-traffic areas on the campuses.
“We want to offer the maximum educational opportunity while guaranteeing safety to the extent possible,” Penton said.
He said the details hashed out by the board Tuesday are included in parent and student information provided at registration, which started Wednesday.
Though many things have been set by the board, Penton said many things were left flexible due to evolving guidance from state agencies.
