Plano District 88 Superintendent provides update on return to school planning

In a letter sent to Plano School District 88 parents Monday, July 13, Superintendent Tony Baker provided an update on the district's planning for the reopening of schools next month for the 2020-2021 school year amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Baker confirmed that the district's plan for the school year will be presented first to the Board of Education and then to the public by July 31 at the latest.

"We are all likely seeking a return to normal as soon as possible, but it appears that reality is going to take more time," Baker wrote. "Please know that the safety and well-being of our students, staff and community is our utmost concern as we plan to return to school for the 2020-21 school year."

The school district has created a transition team to develop the return-to-school plan and issued a survey for parents that asked what method of learning they and their students would prefer.

In the surveys, Baker stated that parents made clear that they wanted to see students in the classroom "in a manner that also creates the safest most effective learning environment for everyone."

Parents also expressed varied opinions on the subject of masks and face coverings in school, according to Baker.

Parent survey responses confirmed that families have the ability to check the health of their students and self-certify on a daily basis, as well as having adequate access to internet at home.

"There continues to be a mix of emotions for all in relation to returning to school," Baker wrote.

"As superintendent, I never imagined there would be a worse decision to make than deciding what to do on a snow day, but then I never anticipated a global pandemic," he continued. "We recognize that no decision we make will achieve 100% agreement from all of our stakeholders.

"We all have to realize that for as strong of a belief held by one family or staff members about appropriate action, there is likely another that holds as strong of a belief in the opposite direction. As a school district, we are caught right in the middle of those two passionate positions."

While the district's plan for the coming school year has not been released to the public, Baker said that district administrators "intend to make the most reasonable decisions possible" that are based on professional safety standards and communicate the results to the community, providing parents "with as much freedom as possible" to choose the best path for their children.

Baker outlined several beliefs that will guide district staff:

-"The best education for our students results from the school experience, which includes safe and effective in-classroom instruction, extracurricular experiences, daily peer interactions, and academic extensions beyond the classroom."

-"There are only two certainties in keeping COVID-19 out of our schools: 1) Don't open our schools, or 2) Never have anyone enter our buildings who is sick. Neither seem reasonable given the feedback of our families or the reality of the transmission of viruses."

-"The effectiveness of expecting students to wear masks is challenging. Even if we eliminate the variable of whether masks are effective (and there are parents on both sides of this issue), it seems reasonable to assume that our students will struggle to wear them properly, not fidget with them during the day, keep them available and clean, or simply sustain the all-day frustration of having something on their face. Dealing with the consequence of enforcing such a mandate seems equally challenging and frustrating for everyone involved. When it comes to this decision, we have to be honest with ourselves about the reality of expecting students who range in ages from 3-19 to consistently and properly wear masks all day."

-"The Plano School District, partnering with our families, has the tools and technology available to deliver instruction in the classroom and remotely, if necessary."

-"It is mid-July and a lot can change between now and the beginning of school."