Tecumseh schools shift to remote learning only, for fall reopening

Tecumseh Local Schools has shifted their plan for when students return to the classroom in the fall, the district superintendent said.

“We will shift to Plan C, complete remote learning, for the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year, which will begin on Aug. 26,” said Superintendent Paula Crew. “We will re-evaluate throughout the first quarter and share several weeks before the end of the first quarter whether we will remain on Plan C or transition to Plan A or Plan B.”

When the plan was initially shared, the district intended to begin the school year with Plan A - a choice of in-school or remote learning, Crew said, but several factors have led to the change in plans for the start of the year.

These factors include Clark County being placed on a Level 3 status on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, a state-wide mandatory mask order was given by Gov. Mike DeWine, an influx of COVID-19 cases, and a “significant number” of parents have requested to switch from the school setting to remote learning.

“This is not a decision we made easily,” Crew said. “At this time, we feel the scale has tipped with the latest information and the most proactive plan would be to begin with total remote learning.”

The three plans are as follows:

Plan A - In school or remote learning. Students attend in-school full-time or through virtual/remote learning.

Plan B - Blended learning. Only half the students attend in-school each day on Monday, Wednesday and alternating Fridays or Tuesday, Thursday and alternating Fridays.

Plan C - Remote learning for all students.

Crew said the remote learning model will be instructed by Tecumseh Local Educators using Google Classroom.

“Teachers will interact, teach and meet with students in their virtual classrooms on a routine basis,” she said. “Attendance and grading requirements will be the same as if the students were in the school setting.”

Crew said the district did consider Plan B - blended learning - but feel Plan C is safer as school begins.

“It is either safe for our students to be in the school setting, or it is not. We do not want to be in a position where we begin the school year and need to transition to Plan C with minimal notice. We feel this would be a reactive, not a proactive approach,” she said.

Crew said the district will share information toward the beginning of August on how families can get Chromebooks for remote learning.

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