Members of the Board of Education (BOE) discussed conflicting opinions and doubts over the Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) Return-to-Learn plan, which it adopted at a special meeting last Wednesday, August 12. The meeting took place online through the Zoom platform. Public attendance at the meeting was high, and several members of the public weighed in on the conversation during the public comment periods as well as the online chat function.
During the closing board member comment period, Board Member Julia Awe said, “after our last meeting where we voted on the restart plan, I have to be honest and say I regret my decision. Based on the town halls by the staff and the parents, I don’t think we had enough time to really digest what they stated, and I’m not sure we’re making the right decision.”
Awe suggested a possible alternative plan in which schools would start with all virtual instruction with tentatively until October 1. BOE members Kevin Hamilton, Anne Riopel, and Geraldine Jaramillo expressed support for Awe’s position.
At issue are questions over the cost and potential quality of the third-party provider that is slated to provide instruction for the all-virtual attendance option for students, as well as the required financial commitment to the service even amid the possibility that the Governor’s Office could advance the pandemic status level to the more stringent phases one through three, which would require all students to attend school from home through online platforms.
Several BOE members and public attendees expressed a desire to see TRCS teachers providing instruction to all-virtual students, whereas the current plan calls for them to teach only the face-to-face and hybrid classes. Commenters also raised questions about safety and risk amid rising COVID-19 pandemic case numbers, as well as related concerns about teacher capacity.
Some public commenters expressed support for staying with the current plan, as did Board Member Dan Ryan. Contrasting issues include problems relating to the likelihood that there will not be consistent internet access for students who do not have it, as well as limitations on parental oversight in working families, a lack of opportunities for social interaction for students, and questions around students’ ability to consistently keep up with curriculum expectations.
Some area districts have reopening plans similar to TRCS, while others have decided to begin their school year with all-online instruction. Elsewhere, some districts have returned to all-online instruction after spikes in pandemic cases occurred concurrent with students’ return to face-to-face instruction with full attendance.
If the district were to open schools with only a virtual option, all instruction would likely take place with TRCS teachers, and the third-party provider, Lincoln Learning, would be out of the picture, and would be a commitment through the semester, or until January.
“I would suggest, if this is a direction we want to go, I think we need to take this back to our instructional team,” TRCS Curriculum Director Nikki Nash said. “I wouldn’t want to make that decision totally myself, and I also think that that we need to go back to that team that has been working since the middle of May on our plan.”
Awe said she agreed with Nash. “I just think we should entertain it at this point,” Awe said. Nash said she will conduct a discussion with TRCS staff to address the concerns raised at Monday’s meeting.
Moag Provides Status on Existing Reopening Plans
During his regular monthly report, TRCS Superintendent Ron Moag provided a range of statistics on enrollment in face-to-face, all-virtual, and hybrid instruction options, both at the district-wide level and at the individual schools. District wide, he said, about 62 percent of families want the face-to-face or hybrid option, while 25 percent want the virtual option.
Moag said he does not have final enrollment numbers because they fluctuate daily. At current enrollment levels, and with students split into two cohorts that are each in school for two days a week, classes at the middle and high schools will have between 11 and 12 students attending in-person at a time. For middle school, it translates to between 12 and 13 students at a time. The elementary schools vary up to about 21 students per class attending face-to-face.
Because there has been a high volume of questions from parents and teachers directed at TRCS administration through its town halls and via email, Moag said staff are working through those questions to organize them by topic, identify duplicates, and develop answers that address all of them. He said he expects to have a document aggregating those answers by mid-week this week.
Racial Justice Statement Formally Adopted
During Monday’s meeting, the BOE adopted a racial justice statement it has been discussing since July. BOE President Erin Nowak read the statement aloud to board members, staff, and members of the public present at the meeting. Although there has been some heated discussion over the language found in earlier drafts, the board accepted the final version unanimously. Watershed Voice has published the statement, as adopted, here.
Student Handbook Gets Addendums
To complement the Return-to-Learn plan, the BOE adopted a set of addendums to the three handbooks that guide conduct and everyday practices for the high school, middle school, and elementary schools on Monday. The addendums cover practices relating to the current pandemic, and include rules, guidelines, and protocols for social distancing, hygiene, cleaning, masking, busing, and monitoring for and addressing possible COVID-19 infections at school and at home.
Other BOE Business
Also on Monday, the BOE approved a Consortium Agreement which governs Career and Technical Education services between TRCS and other entities in St. Joseph County.
Prior to the conclusion of the meeting, the BOE went into closed session to discuss a routine employee performance evaluation. No action was taken during or after the closed session period.
Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.
