Parents eye microschool options
Small-group in-person settings drawing interest amid pandemic
With the first day of school on the horizon, some Nevada families dissatisfied with the school options available to them this fall are turning instead to microschool options as a way to offer in-person learning with less risk of spreading COVID-19.
Described by advocates as a modern one-room schoolhouse, microschools are a cooperative arrangement between families where students of varying ages meet in small groups to take instruction either from a licensed teacher or a home-school instructor.
The model has attracted growing interest from families worried about both school safety and education, while drawing concerns that the opportunities wouldn’t be available to low-income and at-risk students.
‘A no-brainer’
“I have no interest in putting my kids back in a test scenario,” said former Nevada state Sen. Patricia Farley of her reasons to explore microschooling. “Between the education platform, the one-on-one with a teacher, the controlled social interaction and not putting my kids in harms’ way, it’s really a no-brainer.”
Farley said she gained perspective
said.
School bus drivers will also pick up children who need transportation, take them to a school cafeteria to pick up food and take them back home, he said.
Teamsters Local 14, which represents CCSD school bus drivers, responded Friday to a request for comment, but a manager wasn’t available by deadline.
The school district said in a written statement Friday that since the
board just approved the distance education model, employees “are hard at work finalizing the plans to align with the needs of distance education. We anticipate having those plans available in the coming weeks and look forward to providing you with more information soon.”
Southern Nevada Health District spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore said in a Friday email to the Review-journal that district officials provided the school district with feedback regarding its transport plan, but she didn’t elaborate on the nature of the feedback.
CCSD’S current food distribution
system kicked into gear shortly after school campuses were ordered to close in mid-march because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will continue through July 31, according to the district’s nutrition website.
The district has provided free meals to children ages 2 through 18 at dozens of food distribution sites. Students receive breakfast and lunch each day they show up.
Contact Julie Wootton-greener at jgreener@reviewjournal. com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.