Manchester Schools Have Remote Reopening Plan, Possible Hybrid Model to Follow

It sounds like Manchester Schools have a detailed, workable plan to reopen schools this year, but it will start with remote learning.

It is evident from the outline of the plan, which was obtained and reported on by unionleader.com, that administrators and teachers learned quite a bit during the remote learning that was abruptly put in to place early in the spring this year.

The plan will be submitted for approval at a remote meeting on Monday by Superintendent John Goldhardt, according to the article, and the plan does allow for students to participate in athletics.

The plan is outlined to “provide a more conducive teaching, planning, and learning environment, as well as filtered Internet, use of school phones instead of private phones, access copies, paper, etc” as reported by the unionleader.com.

Important aspects of the plan are the exceptions for educators who meet the criteria from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It seems the Manchester Schools have given particular attention to the students that have special needs to accommodate them and have addressed the specific challenges they face in distance learning.

Not sure if you have seen photos of packed school hallways with maskless students in Georgia on the news recently, but that won’t be a worry here.

After a re-evaluation of conditions on October 9, the schools may choose to operate a hybrid model and one of the requirements will be that ALL adults and students will be required to wear face masks and maintain social distancing in the school buildings, according to the Union Leader.

Students in pre-K, kindergarten and first grade will begin the year in a blended model attending in person some days of the week and remote the rest unless parents choose to opt for exclusive remote learning for their children, the article states.

I think a great part of the plan is that students will attend the remote learning during school hours and that the teachers will be “live” via Zoom or Google Meet.

You may not be seated in front of a teacher physically, but you will be there virtually.  This is certainly better than doing the schoolwork independently online whenever the students want.

Sounds like a solid plan to keep students and children safe.