Hoover Schools To Change Elementary Virtual Learning Program

HOOVER, AL — Hoover City Schools, after surveying parents of elementary school students, have changed the system's virtual learning program for the 2021-22 school year.

The survey found that the interest in virtual learning for the coming year is much lower than anticipated, and while most families expressed no need for a virtual learning platform, some families with unusual medical situations in particular still anticipate needing the virtual option.

"The number of families that expressed interest in elementary virtual placement for 2021-22 was so small that we have only been able to assign two teachers to the program," a release from Hoover City Schools said. "With numbers that small, we cannot have virtual teachers at every elementary school, so we are placing the program at one school, Deer Valley ES."

With the two teachers having to cover multiple grade levels, there will be more reliance on the online curriculum lessons from Accelerate Education and fewer teacher-created lessons, the school system said.

Teachers will continue to communicate face-to-face with students on a regular basis through online video conferencing, but those meetings may be less frequent. "In short, the experience will necessarily be focused on the most essential instructional services," the system said.

Due to the limited number of seats in the program, the school system will require documentation of medical circumstances that make virtual placement a necessary option. The medical condition may involve the student or another member of the household. Parents or guardians must agree to the following conditions:

• The K-5 virtual program will be based at Deer Valley ES for the 2021-22 school year, so if that is not my child’s zoned school, I am requesting a curriculum-based transfer to Deer Valley ES for the 2021-22 school year.
• This is understood to be a commitment for the 2021-22 school year. Back-and-forth movement between virtual and in-person learning was found to be detrimental to student progress in the 2020-21 school year. If the medical situation is resolved, students can move back to their in-person school, but they cannot move back to virtual later in the year unless there is a new medical reason.
• Young children need appropriate adult supervision in the home during school hours who can keep them on task and to serve as a facilitator in learning activities when needed. Such supervision will be ensured by the parents or guardians.
• Students need reliable high-speed internet access to communicate with the school and to complete assignments. Such access will be ensured by the parents or guardians.
• If a student is not being successful as a virtual learner (not communicating, not completing assignments, etc.), the principal has the right to revoke approval for virtual learning and return the student to an in-person school placement.