After a meeting last night, there will be a return for some, not others. Below is the statement released by the Eau Claire Area School District regarding the plan moving forward with a return-to-learn path.
On Wednesday, the Eau Claire Area School District Board of Education
voted to approve a plan to increase the level of in-person learning for grades K and 3-5.
The approved plan calls for grades K-5 to begin learning in person Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, starting April 5. Wednesday will remain a virtual learning day. The transition will double the amount of in-person instruction time for grades K and 3-5, from the current two days to four
days per week. This matches the current instructional model for grades 1-2.
“Now that the board has approved a path forward, we will immediately turn our attention to implementing increased in-person learning for students at our elementary levels,” said Michael Johnson, Superintendent. “We know that there is no replacement for classroom learning, and we
look forward to making the transition. We also realize we will need to support our staff through this process by providing resources such as time, professional development, and the opportunity for collaboration.”
Students currently in elementary Cohorts A and B will now be combined into Cohort D. Class sizes will increase as a result of the shift, affecting the district’s ability to consistently maintain six feet of physical distancing between students. Masks and other disease mitigation strategies will
still be required of all students and staff in district schools.
Families will have the option of moving their students to Cohort H, which will involve synchronous instruction delivered through Microsoft Teams. ECASD staff will use their iPads or laptops to stream in-person lessons to students in this new cohort. Students currently enrolled in Cohort C will not be affected by the transition. They will continue to learn virtually unless their families request a move to a different cohort.
Elementary school families are asked to indicate their preferred learning model for their children by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2. They may do so by visiting the district’s COVID-19 web page, WHICH YOU CAN FIND WITH A CLICK HERE.
