Concord schools try out learning models during summer school program
District tests remote, in-class, hybrid models
District tests remote, in-class, hybrid models
District tests remote, in-class, hybrid models
Officials in the Concord School District said the district's summer school program gave them a good look at several possible ways that children can return this fall.
Summer school at Concord High School used three models over nine weeks. One was fully remote, another took a hybrid approach and one had all in-class instruction.
Assistant Principal Kaileen Chilauskas said each model had a certain amount of success.
"They're adolescents," Chilauskas said. "You're going to have to remind them to do things. But it really brought to light how important school is for kids, even if they want to publicly say they don't want to be here."
There were 207 students in the summer school program. Officials said 99 went all remote, 100 were in the hybrid program and about nine are in the in-school section.
Lise Bofinger has been a science teacher for 36 years and said she saw the difference when students were learning in the building.
"When you reduce the number of kids in the building, that certainly helps, so I think kids need a connection, and they don't feel the same connection over a screen," she said.
The school nurse took temperatures as the students entered, masks were worn and social distancing was required.
There were a handful of buses running. Others carpooled or got rides with friends.
Chilauskas said most things worked OK, but she knows it's really a numbers game.
"Scale is a factor," she said. "Concord is a big school district, and we service 100 students in our hybrid model, and even if we went to 50%, we're talking 800 students at Concord High School on a day-to-day basis."
School officials said they had a plan in case of a virus outbreak, but they didn't have to use it.