Carroll schools approve virtual opening with a hybrid option
we cannot at this time. But I do want to tween those two extremes, and that is what school day. Sivigny said many felt that was make sure we are on top of these inequities is so challenging about the decision.” too low. In the future, she asked that they After a 5½-hour meeting, Carroll Counand we take care of those career and tech When considering the hybrid model, he work to define a goal amount, perhaps ty’s school board voted unanimously late students.” came to feel it is the “one outcome that least 40-50% of the day, and not just a minimum. Wednesday night for a distance learning Almost 11,000 students also replied to a satisfies any of the significant needs we Grading will not return to the pass/fail approach when school opens Sept. 8. county school survey. Regarding virtual know our students have.” model. Grades will be standard and students
However, the plan will allow for some learning, they said they would like to use one He outlined potential disruptions of the will need to check in for attendance each in-person instruction, like for studentsday.withonlinemeetingtoolandnotjumpbetweenhybridmodel,suchasstudentandemployee special needs or those in career and platforms. Their greatest concerns with absenteeism, bus service limitations, For students who are not able to be there technology programs. virtual were the lack of interaction with cleaning and sanitizing protocols, and for the synchronous lesson, due to a variety
The board plans to revisit by Oct. 14 peers and learning new content. COVID-19 exposures of staff and students. of situations families identify, the direct whether to move to a hybrid model. While Before voting, the board heard from “Almost every week, if not every day, instruction will be recorded and available to several Maryland school systems have said numerous school staff members and county there will be some portion of the system access afterward. they will remain online-only into January, officials — in addition to receiving thoufacing a disruption,” he said. In August, educators will be required to Carroll board’s could vote to reopen to sands of impassioned emails. With an improved virtual teaching modtake at least eight hours of professional students in some fashion when the second On top of that, two groups of demonel, the direct interaction and overall quality learning courses on virtual instruction, quarter starts in early November. strators came face-to-face outside the will be far better than what was put together though they are encouraged to take more.
“We can always do so before, but that date school association office before the “on the fly” this past spring, he said. For students without access to devices or allows us time to get well underway, and Wednesday meeting battling over their As the school year approaches, officials high-speed internet service, the school enough time to be able to pivot moving conflicting views on what to do about laid out some of the steps to improve the system is prepared to lend out laptops and forward if conditions allow,” Superintendschools.While airing his recommendation to virtual learning experience from what it was internet hot spots. However, they still expect ent Steve Lockard said. During the maraopen virtually, Lockard spoke about the in the spring. Maryland’s school systems challenges, as many of the families strugthon meeting, board members addressed difficulty of balancing public health and had to pivot unexpectedly when schools gling with internet access will also be more the impassioned responses from many sides. educational concerns. were closed by the state March 13 in likely not to have the cell service needed for
“More than 50% of the people wanted us “We know that the safest public health response to the coronavirus pandemic. the hot spots. to open up. We weren’t going to make course of action is to not be open for One of the main points the board stressed Though it is still in the early stages of everyone happy. I don’t think we even made in-person instruction, but we also know that was expanding synchronous learning, when planning, Lockard said he hopes to see some ourselves happy. ... We’re going to be moving the best thing for students and their learning students are being taught by their teacher opportunities where students can sign up forward as quickly as we can,” school board is for us to be open in our traditional and interacting with their peers in real time for time to work out of school buildings to President Donna Sivigny said. manner,” he said. “And in the middle of a through their Google Classrooms. use the devices and internet connection
Board member Marsha Herbert acpandemic we find ourselves trying to make The state minimum for direct synchrothere. For now, though, it will be online-only knowledged: “I want to open up, but I know the best possible choice somewhere be- nous learning has been set at 20% of the for Carroll students.