Bexley City Schools moving to remote learning through Dec. 18
BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bexley City Schools announced Friday that it would move to remote learning for the next two weeks.
The district announced that remote learning would begin for all schools starting Monday, Dec. 7, and last through Friday, Dec. 18.
“This was a difficult but necessary decision,” said Marlee Snowdon, Bexley City Schools Board of Education President, in a statement. “We continue to keep our students first. Our students need more consistency with their teachers and right now that’s not happening because of high rates of staff absences. Under these conditions, remote learning can actually provide more time with teachers for many students than our hybrid model.”
In the statement, the district said the move to remote learning was due to staff absences, not transmission of the disease within the school buildings.
The district praised staff and students for following the guidelines while in school, adding, "we are not seeing evidence of cases being acquired or transmitted in the classroom."
Over the next few weeks, the board will hear recommendations about new hybrid learning models.
The full statement from the district is below.
"This evening, the Bexley City Schools Board of Education voted to accept the recommendation of the BCS Evaluation Team and begin remote learning for all schools in the district beginning Monday, December 7 through Friday, December 18.
“This was a difficult but necessary decision,” said Marlee Snowdon, Bexley City Schools Board of Education President. “We continue to keep our students first. Our students need more consistency with their teachers and right now that’s not happening because of high rates of staff absences. Under these conditions, remote learning can actually provide more time with teachers for many students than our hybrid model.”
The recommendation to begin remote learning was presented by the evaluation team after reviewing the latest district-wide and local data and its impact on learning. The group of BCS administrators, board of education members, teachers, nurses, coaches, and community members who are experts in pediatrics and epidemiology remained optimistic that the data shows transmission is not occurring in classrooms and our schools remain a safe place to learn.
“It’s remarkable to see the impact of mask-wearing and distancing in reducing the transmission of COVID-19,” said Dr. Abigail Norris Turner, an infectious diseases epidemiologist on the evaluation team. “Both kids and school staff have done an incredible job adhering to public health guidance, and we are not seeing evidence of cases being acquired or transmitted in the classroom. Our recommendation to move to remote is based on the impact staff absence has had on the quality of instruction during hybrid learning, not because we believe classrooms are unsafe.”
Parents and students will receive details on learning expectations, schedules, and how to stay connected to teachers and mental health services from building principals. Transitions between learning modes can come with challenges for students, families, and staff. We encourage you to continue to prioritize the mental wellness of your child, do your best, and stay connected to BCS staff while the District remains in remote learning.
The evaluation team will continue to meet weekly and issue recommendations. Over the next few weeks, the board will hear considerations on a possible new hybrid model. More information on possible changes is available on our website."
Bexley City Schools