The Mancos School District pushed back its start date to Aug. 24 after deciding to use the week of Aug. 17 to train teachers on how to implement the online learning program.
Mancos parents will have a choice between sending their students to in-person classes or using the Colorado Digital Learning Solutions online program, which is funded by the state and meets Colorado school curriculum standards.
Brian Hanson, superintendent of the Mancos School District, said teachers will use the Colorado Digital Learning Solutions online program as a curriculum base for in-person and online students. If schools are forced to close again, having the online program as a base will make the transition easier on students.
However, Hanson said teachers will still come up with their own lesson plans.
“It tells them what to teach, not how to teach it,” he said in a phone interview with The Journal. There will be opportunities for teachers to incorporate project-based learning.
Students who choose the online-only option will have regular contact with teachers from the Mancos schools, Hanson said. The week of training before school starts will help teachers develop it, he said.
Last week, Mancos School District staff called each parent in the district to find out which option they preferred.
Hanson said 85% of students will return to in-person classes, and the remaining students will take the online program or switch to GOAL Academy, a free online high school.
But lack of internet is a big concern for parents.
If schools needed to close, Hanson said the Mancos School District would open up rooms for students so they can go online, though strict social distancing guidelines will be followed. In spring, Mancos allowed five or six students in one room at a time.
The district also partnered with the library to create hot spots in the area in case students need them. But Hanson said internet access “creates inequity for our kiddos.”
“It’s a national issue that needs to be addressed,” he said.
All students who return to Mancos schools for in-person learning will be required to wear masks, from PK-12. All teachers will be required to wear them as well.
Hanson said there will be two custodians in each school, disinfecting surfaces.
“It’s important to get kids back here,” he said.
The Mancos School District administration put the reopening plan together following Colorado Department of Education guidelines, along with input from the athletic director and project-based learning coordinator. Principals also gathered and incorporated feedback from teachers.
The school district will host a Zoom meeting for parents using solely the online program on Aug. 10 at 4 p.m. However, all parents are invited to attend, and they should contact the district if they are interested.
ehayes@the-journal.com
