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Department of Education denies Iowa City school district request to start with online-only learning

cigaretteman

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The Iowa Department of Education has denied the Iowa City Community School District's request to start the school year with online-only instruction after it submitted its request Tuesday.

"While this is not the outcome that we were hoping for, we have been preparing for this possibility," the district's interim superintendent, Matt Degner, wrote in an email to families Thursday.

The school board will discuss the district's next steps at its next meeting Tuesday night.

At this week's special meeting, board members voted unanimously to delay the start of the school year from Aug. 24 to Sept. 8. Instructional time will be made up in June, when district officials hope in-person instruction will have resumed.

Because the board was waiting to hear the state's response regarding starting the year online, it has not yet decided a Return-to-Learn plan.

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To be in accordance with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' mandate that students have a minimum of 50% of their instruction in-person, the Iowa City school district has created a plan that includes remote and in-person instruction.

Students would be separated into two groups. Fifty percent of students would go to school on "A" days and the other half would go to school on "B" days. Students in the A group would go to school on Mondays and Tuesdays while students in the B group would go to school on Thursdays and Fridays; each group would alternate going to school on Wednesdays.

District officials have said they will work with families to coordinate that siblings be in the same group and are trying to give parents as much flexibility as they can.

If the district's request for online-only instruction had been approved, the state would have granted the school district a two-week waiver from its mandate for 50% in-person instruction. After the two weeks, district officials would have had to apply again to continue only teaching online.

https://www.press-citizen.com/story...enies-city-request-go-online-only/3311933001/
 
How much safer is rotating in-classroom days than just returning altogether?
 
How much safer is rotating in-classroom days than just returning altogether?

In theory, I suppose by cutting the number of students per classroom in half, that should make social distancing easier. Hallways between class periods and gym class will still be a nightmare though. Not to mention the cafeteria/commons.
 
In theory, I suppose by cutting the number of students per classroom in half, that should make social distancing easier. Hallways between class periods and gym class will still be a nightmare though. Not to mention the cafeteria/commons.
isn't kinnick in iowa city ? or university park or whatever? I don't think people are really serious about playing football. social distancing will not work when a tackle must be made.
 
In theory, I suppose by cutting the number of students per classroom in half, that should make social distancing easier. Hallways between class periods and gym class will still be a nightmare though. Not to mention the cafeteria/commons.

Maybe minimize hallway traffic by organizing home rooms based on classes schedules?? and rotate teachers?
 
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isn't kinnick in iowa city ? or university park or whatever? I don't think people are really serious about playing football. social distancing will not work when a tackle must be made.

What does that have to do with the topic of this thread. Kinnick has nothing to do with Iowa City schools.

They did announce that they're capping attendance at football games at 15k, so you're talking a 70% drop in number of people.
 
It cut's the in-house student population by 50% so social distancing would be improved....

No bussing, student drop off only? Sanitizing between classes? I wonder if the ROI is even marginal.
 
Local control makes more sense, so I can see why a Reynold's influenced BOE would rule this way.
 
Maybe minimize hallway traffic by organizing home rooms based on classes schedules?? and rotate teachers?

At least in the DSM area schools that are using a hybrid model, the teachers will be present everyday, it's the students who rotate - at least that's how my sister in Johnston is up to.

I don't have any idea how you can organize home rooms better. Elementary/Middle Schools have their classrooms organized by grade level, whereas high schools are organized by subject.

At least when I was in high school home room was a mixture of all 4 grades in a special 15 min period - at Columbus in Waterloo. Honestly, they'd be better served to skip home rooms at the high school level entirely and just handle any topics meant for home room in a particular class.
 
No bussing, student drop off only? Sanitizing between classes? I wonder if the ROI is even marginal.

Well, for one, with only half the students coming to class on any one day, the amount of students bussing should likewise be cut in half; at the very least students should wipe down their desk area before or after class; tho less so at the elementary level where they usually have the same classroom/teacher the bulk of the day.
 
No bussing, student drop off only? Sanitizing between classes? I wonder if the ROI is even marginal.

That's all peripheral shit,... bottom line, it reduces the in-house student head count and gives the school administration a chance at successfully managing a face to face teaching environment...
 
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At least in the DSM area schools that are using a hybrid model, the teachers will be present everyday, it's the students who rotate - at least that's how my sister in Johnston is up to.

I don't have any idea how you can organize home rooms better. Elementary/Middle Schools have their classrooms organized by grade level, whereas high schools are organized by subject.

At least when I was in high school home room was a mixture of all 4 grades in a special 15 min period - at Columbus in Waterloo. Honestly, they'd be better served to skip home rooms at the high school level entirely and just handle any topics meant for home room in a particular class.

Yeah, the home room thing seems attractive on the surface but have no idea how to implement it. I have no kids in school anymore plus i live in MN, but this challenge is very interesting.
 
That's all peripheral shit,... bottom line, it reduces the in-house student head count and gives the school administration a chance at successfully managing a face to face teaching environment...

I’m just trying to better understand the potential benefit...if any.
 
The benefit is that it improves the school's chances for successfully managing the face to face teaching experience...

Except you are removing half of the kids from a controlled environment designed to be as safe as possible.
And then, turning them loose for half of the week to hang out and enjoy themselves. Then bringing them back into the classroom.
 
If Mericans think we've got a mess now... just wait until all 50 States have in person classes in a month?

We know the reason for it, but if the WH thinks this will help the economy, I think they are in for a surprise.

Less than 45% of lost jobs have returned. Trump's statement that "things will get worse before they get better" is a massive understatement.
 
Maybe minimize hallway traffic by organizing home rooms based on classes schedules?? and rotate teachers?
at my elementary school, the 3rd & 4th grade teachers will move while the students stay put in the classrooms.
 
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So. Let me get this straight: School districts want the ability to choose what they think is best for their students/families.....but they don't want those same students/families to have the ability to choose what best suits them?

School districts to the state: "we should be able to decide"
Families to school districts: "we should be able to decide"
School districts to families: "......actually"
 
Except you are removing half of the kids from a controlled environment designed to be as safe as possible.
And then, turning them loose for half of the week to hang out and enjoy themselves. Then bringing them back into the classroom.

The home that my children experienced growing up was a controlled environment designed to be as safe as possible,... yours?
 
Yeah, the home room thing seems attractive on the surface but have no idea how to implement it. I have no kids in school anymore plus i live in MN, but this challenge is very interesting.
The plan put forth by DSM is half the kids M-T, then half the kids Th-Fr. Wednesday would be a deep cleaning day in the school, as would the weekends. Seemed like a decent option for us.
 
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The home that my children experienced growing up was a controlled environment designed to be as safe as possible,... yours?

No, high school kids with drivers licenses will go play basketball and video games with the friends on their off days while their parents brave potential death at work.
 
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Except you are removing half of the kids from a controlled environment designed to be as safe as possible.
And then, turning them loose for half of the week to hang out and enjoy themselves. Then bringing them back into the classroom.

It's obviously far from perfect. At this point it's probably the least bad option. If you've got a better idea, please reach out to your local school board.
 
It's obviously far from perfect. At this point it's probably the least bad option. If you've got a better idea, please reach out to your local school board.

In person. Masks required. Block scheduling. Opt out to remote only option if parents choose. Mandatory remote only participation.
It's already happening at my kid's school. And, last I've heard they've picked up 60 new kids from the Iowa City District who are tired of getting jerked around.
 
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In person. Masks required. Block scheduling. Opt out to remote only option if parents choose. Mandatory remote only participation.
It's already happening at my kid's school. And, last I've heard they've picked up 60 new kids from the Iowa City District who are tired of getting jerked around.

I'd be on board with that. Unfortunately, Reynolds won't let anything that mandates masks go without a fight.
 
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The plan put forth by DSM is half the kids M-T, then half the kids Th-Fr. Wednesday would be a deep cleaning day in the school, as would the weekends. Seemed like a decent option for us.
How does this work? Teacher spends all day teaching kids in school. So who online teaches the kids staying at home?
 
Wow, just heard Iowa City High will not play football this fall. Can anyone confirm?
That's big news, will be a lot of upset and disappointed people. City had been on the decline already, this won't help.
 
No, high school kids with drivers licenses will go play basketball and video games with the friends on their off days while their parents brave potential death at work.

If that's the case then these kids would be doing the same thing after school so no difference,.. Half the kids in school makes the face to face environment easier to manage..
 
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So. Let me get this straight: School districts want the ability to choose what they think is best for their students/families.....but they don't want those same students/families to have the ability to choose what best suits them?

School districts to the state: "we should be able to decide"
Families to school districts: "we should be able to decide"
School districts to families: "......actually"
Parents elect school board members to represent them and make decisions. The return to learn plans made by schools were approved by those school board members.
 
How does this work? Teacher spends all day teaching kids in school. So who online teaches the kids staying at home?

Some schools are simply planning to stream the in school classes to the at home kids, so both will get the lecture portion simultaneously....
 
What does that have to do with the topic of this thread. Kinnick has nothing to do with Iowa City schools.

They did announce that they're capping attendance at football games at 15k, so you're talking a 70% drop in number of people.
of course it does we are talking about Iowa City, the exact same people who want kids to not go to school and IC are the exact same people who want to see football being played in Iowa City it's the same thing
 
Wow, just heard Iowa City High will not play football this fall. Can anyone confirm?
That's big news, will be a lot of upset and disappointed people. City had been on the decline already, this won't help.
exactly what I'm talking about, how can the Hawkeyes play When the high school kids cannot
 
In person. Masks required. Block scheduling. Opt out to remote only option if parents choose. Mandatory remote only participation.
It's already happening at my kid's school. And, last I've heard they've picked up 60 new kids from the Iowa City District who are tired of getting jerked around.

The jerking has come from the state, but you knew that.

Haven’t heard about football, but not in the know.
 
Parents elect school board members to represent them and make decisions. The return to learn plans made by schools were approved by those school board members.

Just about all of the districts I'm aware of put out surveys to parents about their preference (in person vs online). I am not aware of a single district that has actually had a majority of parents/guardians wanting online over in person. Yet the districts are not even giving families the option to do 100% in person.
 
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Some schools are simply planning to stream the in school classes to the at home kids, so both will get the lecture portion simultaneously....
Then what's the point of having it physically at all then?

To me, you either have to go all on campus or go all online. The hybrid approach seems like it will lead to neither method being done well.
 
Just about all of the districts I'm aware of put out surveys to parents about their preference (in person vs online). I am not aware of a single district that has actually had a majority of parents/guardians wanting online over in person. Yet the districts are not even giving families the option to do 100% in person.
The school board members take those survey results into consideration, but they also have to weigh the health and safety of the student body and staff. There are logistics and liability considerations of which the general public is not necessarily aware. Parents thoughts are valuable, but if all decisions made by school boards were based on the popular opinions of parents it would be a disaster.
 
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The school board members take those survey results into consideration, but they also have to weigh the health and safety of the student body and staff. There are logistics and liability considerations of which the general public is not necessarily aware. Parents thoughts are valuable, but if all decisions made by school boards were based on the popular opinions of parents it would be a disaster.
The school board at the ICCSD is a joke filled with idiots. Thank God someone else is there to help them out of a bad situation.
 
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