Shorewood School Board Hashed Out Plans For Classroom Learning

SHOREWOOD, WI—Tuesday evening the Shorewood School Board spent hours considering the next steps for schoolsand discussing which hybrid model the school district should implement.

As part of the School Board meeting, the Board discussed models of education that would allow the school district to bring elementary-aged students back into the classroom.

The AM/PM model allows students to attend four days of school, but students would only be at school for half of the traditional day. Some of the benefits include smaller classes, more frequency with face-to-face instruction and engagement with teachers, and less mask fatigue, Samuel Coleman pointed out. The AM/PM Hybrid model also eliminates the risk of COVID-19 transmission associated with lunch, such as not wearing a mask.

The AA/BB model would allow students in class on designated days twice per week. This model would also mean classroom sizes are smaller. The majority of area schools in hybrid learning models are using this structure due to its ability to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 to multiple cohorts of kids in one school day, according to the school district.

At the October 27 School Board Meeting, Board members voted to continue in the Virtual+ learning model through January 22, 2021, and requested an updated plan for transitioning between Virtual+, Hybrid (physically-distanced in-person learning and virtual instruction) and In-Person learning for all students.

Clarke Warren moved to vote on moving forward with the AM/PM model for students in grades k-6.

"We need to give some guidance," he said before making the motion.

The motion passed 4-1.

School district timeline:
○ December 28 - earliest opportunity to begin monitoring gating criteria ○ January 11 - earliest opportunity to implement a transition plan ○ January 25 - earliest opportunity to begin hybrid instruction ○ April 12 - last opportunity to begin monitoring gating criteria ○ April 26 - last opportunity to implement a transition plan ○ May 10 - last opportunity to begin hybrid instruction

"We will remain in Virtual+ through at least January 25, 2021, and we estimate that a significant
number of District families will elect to continue in Virtual+ instruction for the duration of the
pandemic," the school district wrote.