Batavia school board approves Return to Learn plan

BATAVIA – The Batavia Public School District Board of Education further outlined and expanded upon its Return to Learn Plan for both on-site and remote learners at its virtual meeting on Tuesday.

The district offered updates to its plan on Tuesday that includes a few weeks of school for on-site learners and they'll have a 'soft start' using an A/B hybrid mode. Then, all on-site learners return every day, conditions permitting.

The Board of Education formally voted 6-1 that it supports its own BPS101 plan to return to school in the fall, and the involved process.

From Wednesday, Aug. 19 – the confirmed first day of school for all students – through Sept. 3, on-site students are going to attend in-person school on their assigned day. The other days students are not on-site will consist of remote learning.

If local conditions allow, the district is expected to switch to a full-time attendance mode for students on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The hybrid model is expected to be an every-other day rotation, as students will be divided into two groups – "Crimson" and "Gold." Those designations will be made by alphabetical last name.

Students with A through L last names are labeled as "Crimson," while students with M through Z last names will be labeled "Gold."

For example, based on the calendar provided by the district, students in the "Crimson" category will attend in-person Aug. 19 and 21 the first week, while "Gold" students will attend Aug. 20.

Students in the "Gold" category will subsequently attend school in-person three days the following week, with "students in the Crimson" category attend two days that week.

The district has not yet announced plans for athletics or extracurricular activities. At least for IHSA-sanctioned sports and activities, a decision on the fate of athletics in the fall is expected to be determined by July 29 or shortly after.

The district previously made families make a decision on remote or in-person learning by July 19, but has since effectively extended that deadline until Friday, July 24. Whichever decision was made can be updated through the PowerSchool program if a previous selection is changed based on the latest plan.

Following the July 24 deadline, the district advises that the decision to move between the remote and on-site options will be "extremely limited" and determined on a case-by-case basis.

The district also states that students who have not formally chosen by July 24 will be educated on-site. Staffing changes based on the stated decisions from families will begin the week of July 27.

Schedules and related info is not expected to be available until August.

The Remote Plan 2.0 schedule for the school day generally varies by grade level.

For example, in a prospective remote learning high school schedule, students would have three core classes, math, language arts and social studies, for approximately 90 minutes each. Physical education and lunch would also be included with possible access to some elective courses.

Approximately 20% of the BPS District opted for remote learning.

Based on a July 21 update to the Remote Plan, it "will accommodate most course requests, including many Advanced Placement and honors courses."

"...Our team has really taken a look at the feedback that has been provided to make improvements to the Remote Learning 2.0 Plan," BPS Chief Academic Officer Brad Newkirk said.

"If a family decided, based on their experience in the spring to sign up for remote learning, I would ask that you seriously consider changing your mind. Because, it is not the same plan," Newkirk continued. "The time requirements; the Internet requirements, all of that has changed. So, it will run basically on your school schedule. There will be synchronous opportunities on a daily basis...to get your lessons."

Over 200 individuals at one point signed in for the virtual video conference.

Multiple comments from the public were heard, including from parents, members of other school districts and a current incoming Batavia High School student, that were entertained for approximately 45 minutes.

Comments varied on apparent skepticism and frustration regarding the choices families were given within the plan, safety concerns at schools and more.