Centerville schools’ first quarter all online
Districts keep altering plans as stats, guidance from state evolves.
The second-largest district in the Dayton area said its decision is due to the “sustained spread of the virus within our county.”
Centerville schools officially made the move to a fully online first quarter, New Lebanon schools moved their start date back by 12 days, and Northmont announced a student-athlete tested positive for the coronavirus.
Area schools continue to adjust their back-to-school plans against the backdrop of ever-changing COVID-19 statistics from local health officials and evolving guidance from Gov. Mike DeWine.
Centerville, the second-largest district in the Dayton area, said the switch to a fully online first quarter is due to “sustained spread of the virus within our county” and based in part on guidance from Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County, which recommended all county schools begin the year online.
“I think we’re all worried about what’s going to happen,” Centerville Superintendent Tom Henderson said at Wednesday’s school board meeting. “The thing that keeps me awake at night is … what if we have to shut down, and what if one of those children gets very, very sick, and what if the worst happens?”
Since all K-12 students will be online, Centerville will no longer use the Schools PLP platform, instead having Centerville’s own teachers run their classrooms, following a daily schedule. The district will provide Chromebooks to those students who don’t already have a device to use at home.
Centerville has not announced a decision on whether fall athletics and extracurricular activities will be halted, as Public Health recommended.
■ Northmont:
District offi
cials said they confirmed a student-athlete has tested positive for the coronavirus.
■ “The student has not reported to practice this week,” the district said, without identifying which sport the student plays. “Team members who may have been in close proximity to the student have been notified, and Public Health - Dayton-Montgomery County has also been notified for further guidance.”
■ New Lebanon: The Dixie schools moved their start date back from Aug. 19 to Aug. 31 to give school staff more time to plan, including adjustments for “the increased number of students who have chosen to begin the year on the full remote plan.”
“We are in the process of completing a revised plan that we intend to share next week,” Superintendent Greg Williams said in a statement to families. “The new, tentative in-person plan is likely to be a ‘hybrid’ model that includes classroom learning and remote learning so that we can meet social distancing recommendations by having fewer students in school on a given day.”
■ Fairborn: As expected, Fairborn moved their start date back to Sept. 8, via a school board vote Thursday night. Superintendent Gene Lolli said reasons included the massive leak in the new primary school building and heat concerns for mask-wearing students in buildings without air conditioning.
■ Springboro: Each school will hold a 45-minute “building reopening meeting” Monday or Tuesday evening via Facebook Live to discuss in-person school procedures. Each school principal will start with a brief presentation, followed by question-and-answer with district leadership, school nurses and special education staff.
■ Brookville: Brookville is still on for one of the earliest in-person starts in the area, Aug. 19. On Thursday, the district shared photos of 50 picnic tables that are being set up outside the school buildings as extra spaces “to facilitate outside lunches and outdoor classes.”