In a rare Friday session, the Hamilton Southeastern School Board approved a plan to have a 50-50 mix of virtual and in-person students, up to fourth grade, September 8 through at lease October 2.  The vote on the general resolution moving forward on the re-opening was 6-1, with the lone no vote cast by Amanda Shera.  The specific action allowing the 50-50 plan up to 4th grade as of September 8 passed the board unanimously.

In a Skylert message and video posted Friday, HSE Schools Superintendent Allen Bourff said parents should already have information on the details of when their children will be in-person at the school building and when there will be virtual classes.

Dr. Bourff cited guidance provided by the Fishers Health Department in making this decision.  The idea is to have no more than 50% of students in the buildings at one time.    You can view the video at this link.

Grades 5-12 will continue to have virtual classes, but Dr. Bourff said that policy is under review at all times.

Below is the language contained in the Skylert issued by the school district Friday:

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This morning in a specially scheduled meeting, the School Board approved a recommendation to shift PreK-4 students from virtual instruction to a hybrid or 50/50 model, effective Tuesday, September 8. Students in grades 5-12 will remain in virtual instruction for the time being, and a reassessment will be made weekly.

This recommendation was based on guidance from the Fishers Health Department, which earlier this week, re-categorized the Community Risk Rating to orange, or significant level. At that level, elementary schools are advised to operate on a hybrid model, with an attendance level of no more than 50%. Middle schools and high schools are advised to operate virtually.

Students will be selected alphabetically at the elementary-level based on their family’s last name and/or household in which they reside. Families with PreK-4 students should expect further communication from their principals. Elementary families should also expect, after this message, to receive another Skylert with your child’s group assignment and directions for completing the in-school/virtual and transportation questionnaire.

In the next couple of weeks, teachers will be refining their instructional skills for students who will continue to be with them either in-person or virtually. We had considerable discussion today at the board meeting about this instructional approach, stressing that this approach minimizes the reassignment of students to teachers as the students transition in and out of virtual instruction.

A solid relationship between a student and teacher is foundational to a positive learning experience. Based on observations of other schools in session, we anticipate student absences, and we want our elementary students to know that whether they are virtual or in-person, their teacher is constant and that they can count on that teacher to be there for them.

Now this requires a more complex instructional plan for the teacher, and parents should not expect the same type of virtual instruction to occur that their children are now experiencing. In some ways, it may be richer, but it most likely will not be the same. This virtual choice is explained a bit further in the Skylert communication this afternoon.

This phase using the 50/50 model is expected to run from September 8 to October 2. If all goes well, we hope to transition to 100% on October 5, with the virtual option for the rest of the semester.

We have been asked if the virtual option will be offered in the second semester, and my answer is that the option remains under consideration.

As I said earlier in this message, students in grades 5-12 will remain in virtual instruction, but that status will be reassessed on a weekly basis. We all want our students back in the buildings, and we will make that transition as soon as it is safely possible. Again, I emphasize that we will be relying on guidance from our local health department to make that decision.

I thank all who have contacted us with suggestions and observations. So many, in fact, that personal responses have not been possible for each of you. For that I apologize, but I can assure you that the messages are being read and considered in our planning sessions.

I encourage all in our community to observe safety protocols so that we can drive COVID cases down, minimize unsafe conditions, and get all students back into our classrooms.