PERRYSBURG, Ohio — As we approach the end of this school year, districts in northwest Ohio have no choice but to look ahead to next year.
Will students return to brick-and-mortar schools? How will schools handle any potential coronavirus outbreaks if they arise?
One local superintendent says the path forward should be paved with great caution.
A draft of new guidelines from the Ohio Department of Education (below) sheds insight on what school could look like this fall.
The 11-page draft — called the Reset & Restart-Education Planning Guide —lays out four main considerations the state is taking into account: physical health and safety; educational challenges; social and emotional health; and operational concerns.
RELATED: How could going back to school look in the fall? Ohio State Board of Education offers clues
Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Tom Hosler told parents in a Friday letter, "We appreciate seeing ODE's guidelines and will use them as we plan for a safe return to school. Students need to be back in school for a variety of reasons."
Hosler also said he appreciated the plan's acknowledgment that the answer isn't one-size-fits-all.
"I think as we begin to consider and get our head around these restrictions, I think it's important to pay attention to the language that's being used here," Hosler said at an online school board meeting Monday night.
The superintendent said putting the recommendations into action would be difficult, especially social distancing within classrooms.
"If we have a class of 33 students, and we can only fit nine, maybe 10, that's a challenge," he said. "That's a challenge."
Perrysburg's board of education was not ready to make any definitive decisions Monday night as districts still await final guidance from the state.