The Paducah Board of Education voted unanimously on Monday to move forward with Superintendent Donald Shively's plan for a hybrid start to the school year beginning August 24.
According to Shively's plan, for the first three days of classes will be virtual for all students. Shively said they chose to do this to test the system and ensure that everything was functioning correctly in case they had to begin doing entirely virtual classes.
He said, "It's not a start on August 24 with children, but it's definitely a start before September 28."
Following the first three days, from August 27 until September 3, there will be a hybrid schedule with the students that chose in-person learning divided into two groups. Each of those groups will attend on alternate days.
On Friday, September 4, all students that chose in-person learning will attend.
After Shively's presentation, the board voted unanimously to move forward with the plan.
Following the vote, Chairman of the Board Dr. Carl LeBuhn shared his thoughts on the plan.
"I think it's important for us to pay attention to the community rates, and we've done that. It looks like our community is at a reasonably safe rate to go back to school at this time. We recognize that situation may change. It may change next week, next month, it may not change, it may get better. We don't know, but I think we're going to stay very dialed into what is going on with the status of the pandemic in our community." LeBuhn continued, "I think we have to recognize that different communities in our state and even in our country are going to have to experience and react to this pandemic in different ways at different times."
He said, "No plan that we put in place at this time is going to be risk-free. So I think we have to recognize that there are going to be students in our midst who contract COVID, there's going to be teachers that contract COVID, we just have to have a plan in place that mitigates that risk and prevents escalation of the problem."
Additional information on the plan will be available on August 19. Anyone with questions should email them to questions@paducah.kyschools.us.
In their meeting Monday night, the Mayfield Independent School District board also decided to allow in-person classes beginning August 26. They said that the virtual option is available for any families that are uncomfortable with students coming to school at this time. You can see the full Paducah Board of Education meeting below.
Also on Monday, members of the Ballard County Board of Education voted unanimously to move the beginning of in-person instruction to August 31, but some types of virtual instruction will be available on August 26.
Parents will have a choice of in-person or virtual learning for their children. Students that attend in-person classes will have that type of instruction Monday through Thursday, with Fridays being reserved for virtual instruction for all students.
“We believe that in-person instruction is the best way for students to learn,” said Superintendent Dr. Casey Allen. “We also understand that right now, some parents feel that the best option for their students is in a virtual learning environment. The board’s decision allows parents to choose what they think is best for their children.”
In a press release, Superintendent Joe Henderson said, "There are no right or wrong answers. There is no 'cookie cutter' solution. We respectfully ask that as we set this plan in place, everybody be kind, everybody be patient with those who have fears and frustrations brought on by the pandemic, and respect the hard decisions leadership has had to make."
More details on Mayfield's plan are on the district's website (click image link).
