Burton to remain online to start year Will implement modified schedule when allowed

The Burton School District Board announced on Tuesday the schools in their district will continue distance learning online at the beginning of the school year on August 11.

Once schools are allowed to open by state and local guidelines, the district will implement Plan B, which will call for students to attend school two days a week and participate in distance learning three days a week.

A statement released by the district on Tuesday afternoon said the learning model provided to students at the beginning of school in the fall will be vastly different from the model used when schools were first ordered to close. The district stated the new model will be “a robust and rigorous virtual learning environment,” and lessons have been adopted for students who are learning English as a second language and students with learning disabilities.

When the district is allowed to reopen its schools by state and county guidelines, it will implement Plan B. This plan calls for 50 percent of students to be on campus each day. There will be daily temperature checks for students and staff, and physical distancing will be implemented at all times, including in the classroom, at lunch, recess and passing periods.

Plan B also calls for two days a week of small group learning and follow-ups with a teacher, with the other three days a week of social distance learning at home. The district also plans for devices to be available to be taken home by all students.

“As you may be aware, Governor Newsom announced directives for schools last Friday,” read the district’s statement. “Any school district located within counties on the COVID-19 monitoring list must start the fall in distance learning. This means that the Burton

School District will open with virtual learning environments this fall. According to the governor’s directive, schools will be able to begin reopening following public health guidance indicating that their county has been off of the monitoring list for 14 consecutive days.

“Last night our Board of Education voted to continue planning for a return to in-person learning with a Plan B-hybrid Model where students are placed into cohorts on different days to receive in person instruction two days a week and virtual instruction 3 days a week, as soon as public health conditions allow and adequate resources are allocated by both the state and federal governments for the safe return to school.

“BSD staff has been working diligently over the past couple of months to prepare for every outcome and phase of reopening, including virtual learning. Because of this work, we will be able to offer our students a robust and rigorous virtual learning environment when we start school on August 11, 2020.

“Our virtual learning model will be vastly different from the emergency distance learning we quickly pivoted to in March when schools initially closed physically.

In hand with our Burton Online School, which is available to our families throughout the year, all students who are not currently enrolled into the Burton Online School will be provided virtual learning by their current school.” Additional information about the Burton Online School can be found at www.burtonschools.org/online.

“Our virtual learning model will include regular attendance, emphasis on teacher-student engagement, daily interaction with peers, progress monitoring, grading, small group support, daily live interaction with teachers, challenging assignments, adopted lessons for English Language Learners and Special Education students, parent support, and ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers and support staff over the next month and throughout the school year,” the district statement said.

“We know it will be critical to equip our teachers with the tools and resources necessary to maximize their skills when teaching in a virtual learning model. We will be providing more information and detail in the coming weeks ahead.”

The district originally planned to give students the option of a five-day a week, minimum day inperson schedule — Plan A — or continue with social distance learning — Plan C. But with the Governor’s directive, the district will now use Plan B for reopening when permitted.