NORTHWOOD, Ohio — Like many of the school districts in our area, Northwood Local Schools' back-to-school plans contained three components: everyone back five days a week, a hybrid option or fully remote.
Leaders in the district say they had been hoping for a full return to classrooms because they are a smaller district, but decided going hybrid was a better option
Plans were released to families Tuesday morning. The district will be starting in a hybrid model on Aug. 24, one week later than originally planned.
This option was chosen because leaders say the safety of the kids is their top concern.
According to district superintendent Jason Kozina, the hybrid option allows them to balance keeping their schools open for as long as possible while limiting the number of coronavirus cases inside a school or district.
All summer, school officials had hoped they'd be able to return five days a week. But after talking with the Wood County Health Department, they felt the safest thing for students and staff would be the hybrid model.
"Because the cases in the area have been increasing for Wood County and due to our proximity to Lucas County, with open enrollment, we have kids from Lucas County. It just felt like we were going to be better served to stay open if we went with a hybrid model," Kozina said.
Students will be divided into a 'Group A' or 'Group B' based on last name. Group A will be in-person on Monday and Tuesday while Group B attends on Thursday and Friday.
Wednesday will be used as a remote learning and deep cleaning day.
Six-feet social distancing will be able to be maintained in almost all classrooms.
Lunch for elementary students will likely be in their classrooms. For the older students, they will be able to use the cafeteria in their new building and their old one.
Kozina also says busing is not impacted bad either since they are a geographically smaller district.
"We were probably one of the few [districts] that were able to handle busing in a five-day plan with limited students, we were going to run two bus routes" Kozina said. "Because we are simply dividing alphabetically, we'll be able to put one student in a seat unless their family member is on the bus to get them to and from school. We're confident for that."
The district is offering a fully virtual option and those enrolled will do that for a semester.
As of right now, they're expecting around 100 students to choose that option.