TONTOGANY, Ohio — Otsego Local Schools students have been able to learn in person since the start of the school year, but with COVID-19 cases rising in Wood County, the district wants to be prepared for any changes should they need to take place.
On Dec. 21 and 22, all students in grades Kindergarten through 12 will be testing out remote learning before going on Christmas break.
Otsego Local Schools Superintendent Adam Koch says it's a short week and the perfect time to have some practice days.
"We decided those days, it is a right fit to try the remote learning plan, if in case we do need to go there after the holidays," Koch said.
Since the start of school in August, the district has been learning in person, five days a week.
They have never had to switch to online learning, but the superintendent wants everyone to be ready in case that call is ever made.
"We just want to be prepared for what may happen," said Koch, "and it might be taken out of our control with either a government mandate or if our cases right to the level, we might think we have community spread inside our buildings. Which, at this time, we do not."
The two remote learning days are to be treated as regular school days, according to the superintendent.
Currently, teachers and principals are spending time each day to make sure everything works to seamlessly learn online.
The goal is to stay in person all the way up to Dec. 21.
"We've been taking it day-by-day and we're going to continue to take it day-by-day and navigate the virus. We're just trying to plan as much as possible," Koch said.
He also said it is their full intention to return back to in-person learning all five days a week on Jan. 5.