Planning for Fall
As we approach the end of the school year, we know that there are questions from community about what fall and the return to school will look like. The Bellevue School District will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students, staff, and the community. We will continuously update our learning community on this site, and other district communications, as soon as more detail is available.
We don’t know what the fall may bring. Guidance from the state is forthcoming; however, we are proactively planning for various scenarios. None of the plans are final but will help ensure we are prepared.
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What Fall Could Look Like
Student and Staff Health Is a Priority
From the experts, we know that physical distancing is recommended to curb the spread of COVID-19. We know that school settings will need to change to reduce exposure. Some examples could include more cleaning and safety equipment such as temperature scanners, students attending in-person at different times, and arranging learning spaces for more physical distancing.
Planning for Continued Remote Learning
There is the possibility that we will need to continue educating students in a remote learning setting. Our focus is to take what we have learned thus far and improve on it. Families need more streamlined communication from educators to support their student’s learning. Students need more coaching and personal care. This could mean more smaller group instruction as opposed to large Microsoft Teams classes.
Flexibility
We recognize that some students and staff may not be able to return in the fall due to health conditions or other concerns. Our plans for next year will include flexibility to ensure that all students are able to access learning. As mentioned, students may be attending school in-person but not at the same time. A possibility may be to provide remote learning options for those that cannot return or need to limit their exposure.
Possibility of Future Closures Next Year
We have heard from public health experts that there is the possibility of a second wave of Covid-19 later this year or beyond. With the possibility in mind we know that student learning can be disrupted. This could mean the possibility of the using breaks, such as winter and spring, to make up lost instructional time. Another possibility would be to extend school days.
Other Information
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction formed a Reopening Washington Schools 2020-21 Workgroup. Their work will support our planning but not all suggestions will be implemented.