One of Ohio’s largest school districts has announced its plans to reopen for in-person learning with a hybrid model.
“My team and I have continued to make every good faith effort to follow the data and science to do what’s right by our community and to honor the commitment to be opening on March 1st,” said Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon.
Gordon announced his plans to bring students back to the classrooms in three phases.
“The phasing gives the ability to provide orientations, kind of open houses, help families adjust, make those transitions,” Gordon said.
Students will be in the classroom two days a week.
The first phase will start on March 1, with a small number of students with learning disabilities as well as some high school seniors and career tech students who are off track from graduation.
On March 8, a much larger group of English learners, Pre-K through second-grade, other high school students who are off track academically and more tech students will begin the model.
On March 15, the rest of the students will be phased in.
Those who don’t want to return to the classroom will still have remote learning available four times a week as well as a virtual academy.
Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted have insisted students return to the class by March 1.
“The districts willingly signed on to this commitment. And they need to uphold their commitment. The kids need these educational support services. It’s the foundation of their future and we will see the consequences of success and or failure based on what we’re due here over the course of the next year,” Husted said.
The Cleveland Teachers Union released a statement saying, “CTU members want to be back in-person, in classrooms with our students. However, we insist that any reopening is done thoughtfully and safely for students, families, and staff and not in response to some arbitrary timeline,” CTU President Shari Obrenski said.
Gordon said the district surveyed parents and caregivers about returning to school and of those who replied, 54% said yes and 46% said no to returning to class. That’s one of the reasons Gordon said right now the district is going with the hybrid model.
“We have to set up a two school system, a remote system and a hybrid system. That means scheduling the entire district again. We have to set up transportation for who comes Monday, Tuesday separately for who comes on Thursday, Friday, and we don’t even know, for example, if Ryan’s going to show up unless his parent has declared. Many haven’t.”
Gordon believes over 4,000 staff members have been vaccinated so far.
He said spring sports, including baseball, softball, tennis and track, can return on Feb. 22.
