Gadfly Bites 9/30/20 – Going forward

1. For some reason meeting on a Saturday, the elected board of Dayton City Schools unanimously approved a phased-in plan to bring students back for a hybrid learning model starting for some students as early as tomorrow. Despite that short time window (and the overwhelming confidence indicated by the board vote), it sounds to me that the full plan is still a work-in-progress. It also seems that application to the district’s virtual academy will be reopened for those families not comfortable with their kids returning, which is heartening. (Dayton Daily News, 9/28/20) What’s not heartening is the comments from Dayton’s board and administration about the impending complication of busing district students along with charter and private school students. That’s ominous news—and familiar territory—for Dayton Leadership Academies, whose youngest students are scheduled to return for a hybrid half in-person, half-remote model starting October 19. At the bottom of this story, we hear that Dayton Regional STEM and Horizon Science Academy Schools, other educational choices in the area, are sticking with all-remote learning for now but that they will be making decisions on possible changes soon. Bet I know one factor they are monitoring closely to help them decide. (Dayton Daily News, 9/29/20
    
2. Meanwhile, Columbus City Schools announced this week that they too would begin phasing in a hybrid model—also starting with the youngest students—in mid-October. There is no mention here about what options families who are not comfortable with their youngsters returning to in-person learning will have. One figures that since the older grades are still going to be learning fully-remotely for an indeterminate time going forward, something will be worked out. (Columbus Dispatch, 9/29/20)
   
   

3. Speaking of which: Shaker Heights City Schools decided to extend the deadline for its all-remote option as the district heads to a hybrid model after hearing from some families who wanted more information as to the shape of the new plan before deciding. (Patch.com, 9/28/20)
    
4. On a related note: The entire fifth-grade class of an elementary school in Kent City Schools will be learning remotely from home for a while due to a single positive Covid test among the student body in that grade. Oh, and the district is having trouble recruiting substitute teachers for some reason as well. (Akron Beacon-Journal, 9/29/20) Similar situation in Perrysburg City Schools, which currently has nearly 160 students and staff members learning and working from home after three positive coronavirus tests among the student body there. No word on substitute availability there. (Toledo Blade, 9/28/20) On a related note (see what I did there?), kudos to Canal Winchester Local Schools for their imaginative new On-Line Creative Arts Expo. Not only will it feature digital student work in a huge range of categories (from performing arts, programming, and world languages, visual arts and the written word), music teacher Todd Phillips points out that, “This is not a competition. There will be no first, second or third place finishers. This is an On-Line Gallery platform to display our students’ diverse approach to the Creative Arts in their lives.” Sounds like just the kind of “relieved pressure” environment in schools that some folks in the Statehouse have been clamoring for. (Lancaster Eagle-Gazette, 9/30/20)
   
   

5. Wonder what spurred Akron City Schools to change their tune and start working to bring students with disabilities back into school buildings “in some fashion” as soon as possible? Probably that story from the local TV news that we clipped on Monday, if I had to guess. Sounds like that same mom was at the most recent school board meeting having her say there as well. (Akron Beacon-Journal, 9/29/20) Thirty miles north, Parma City Schools this week pulled the wraps off its new education center for students with autism. It is a dedicated and specially-designed space in Parma Senior High to be used to provide “a highly-individualized, therapeutic-based program” for students. It will initially serve students in K–5, with older students added in future years. (Cleveland.com, 9/30/20)
    
6. Here in central Ohio, the seeds have been planted for a new Catholic Montessori school in rural Johnstown. Quite literally, because the goal is for a farm-based model of education a far cry from the diocese’s other Montessori school smack dab in the middle of Columbus. Good luck to all in your fundraising work! (Newark Advocate, 9/29/20)

Did you know you can have every edition of Gadfly Bites sent directly to your Inbox? Subscribe by clicking here.