NPS Continues To Plan For Fall, Utilizing Input From Parents

NORFOLK - Norfolk Public Schools is continuing to plan for the fall semester, and is using input from parents to help shape teaching methods.

A survey was recently sent to parents, asking how they would like remote learning to work if it's still required in the fall. Superintendent Dr. Jami Jo Thompson says the survey detailed different ways that NPS could coordinate remote learning this fall, with one option far and away being the most requested.

"We asked if they would want to do alternating days between in-class and remote learning, alternating weeks, or have students attend every day for half a day," Dr. Thompson said. "By and large the responses showed that they would like us to have alternating days, as opposed to having an entire week off or having half-days because transportation is an issue for some parents in the middle of the day."

Dr. Thompson says the survey results are being considered in the plans for the fall, which are being put together by a return to school committee. The committee is made up of teachers, administrators, staff members, parents, and community members, and the group is working through a variety of scenarios in preparation for the upcoming school year.

"We're working on everything from returning to school on a normal basis to going completely remote," Dr. Thompson said. "We're looking at everything from transportation, to instruction, to lunch, to entrance procedures, everything that's part of a school day."

"Once we have those plans in place we'll take them to the school board, and I'm hoping we'll be able to make a decision at the July 13th board meeting, but it depends on where we're at with state health officials and what type of guidance they've given us," Dr. Thompson said.

Dr. Thompson says there are still some hot topics to work through, including whether or not masks will be required at school this fall. Some survey responses had parents say they didn't want their children in masks, while others wanted all children to be waring masks.

Now this isn't the first time that NPS has gone the survey route, as a little earlier this spring a survey was sent out asking parents how they felt remote learning went this past spring. Parents reported some significant challenges with the set-up, and Dr. Thompson says remote learning will look very different this fall if it's still required.

"In the spring we were told that it should be enrichment learning opportunities, not new learning, and that it shouldn't be graded," Dr. Thompson said. "When we come back in the fall we're preparing for the entire school year, things are going to have to be graded and they're going to have to be more rigorous."

"Some of the challenges parents told us they had were motivating their student, but also being able to help their student with the homework, as well as not having internet access in some cases," Dr. Thompson said.

Dr. Thompson also says a variety of scenarios are in place for a graduation ceremony, and a final decision on that as well as a possible prom will also be taking place at the July 13th school board meeting.