FAIRBORN — Fairborn City Schools has released a preliminary look at what students and parents can expect going back to school in the fall.
The district’s “Restart” plan offers two different options for students: in-person enrollment or full-time home enrollment. The Restart plan is “still evolving,” according to officials, and details of both programs will be released later this week.
Families who elect to enroll their students for in-person instruction will return to school with health and safety protocols in place, including daily home health assessments, facial coverings, social distancing where possible, increased personal hygiene, and increased sanitation of school facilities.
Those who wish to keep their children home for the semester will conduct learning online. The district has partnered with the Greene County Educational Service Center’s (GCESC) Online Learning Collaborative to allow students to access remote coursework. The curriculum is “self-paced and does not involve daily direct instruction from a teacher,” according to the district. As part of this program, students will regularly engage with Teacher-Student Advocates who are available to address student concerns, technological needs, and questions.
The traditional classroom learning option includes a contingency plan, in the event that the school is forced to close. This remote learning “will be different from the spring emergency closure remote learning and will include regular live interaction with teachers,” the district said.
Students who are learning in-person will have the option to switch to online learning. However, students that elect to learn remotely must remain in the GCESC program for the remainder of the fall semester. Families that choose remote learning may return to in-person learning in the spring.
The district outlined a third option for virtual instruction of preschool-age children. More details on this option will be forthcoming.
The details of the two options have not yet been released, as the school district irons out protocols regarding face masks, student technology, and a myriad of other considerations. The full “Reset, Restart” plan is currently in review amongst district administrators and staff, and will be released to the public on Friday, July 24.
Fairborn’s first day of school is Monday, August 24, while teachers will report to the school on Thursday, Aug. 13 to address sanitation procedures and other professional development concerns. The final plan will be approved on Thursday, July 23 during the regular school board meeting.