Just hours after Gov. Mike DeWine announced that schools in Ohio would not reopen this academic year, the Fairbanks School Board met Monday to discuss what happens next.
“We will continue to deliver remote learning for the remainder of the school year,” Superintendent Adham Schirg told the board. “Gov. DeWine specified that the danger of the virus and continuity were two factors in his decision.”
Schirg told the board that school officials were already in communication with staff and surveying students and parents about options for “senior recognition.”
He said that, while “we all anticipated this was going to happen, that this was going to be a decision that happened, I want to acknowledge how disheartening it really is.”
“While we know why the decision is being made, we can also acknowledge the other side of it, that it does stink for people.”
Fairbanks is not alone. Prior to Gov. DeWine’s announcement that students would not return to physical schools this academic year, many districts were already planning for that possibility.
In Marysville, the determination that students would not return to class was met with sadness but not surprise.
“This news saddens our entire school district,” Marysville Superintendent Diane Allen said. “Without students, staff, and families, our schools are merely empty buildings missing the energy, passion, and deep seeded relationships that cultivate our Monarch spirit and pride.”
During Saturday’s Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Vickie Hoffman said the district was getting ready for “what to do after May 1.”
She said Triad was preparing for the chance students returned to school, but teachers were ready to continue distance learning through the end of the academic year.
Similarly, Jonathan Alder staff said distance learning will continue through the emergency closure.
“Like (Superintendent) Chapman said, as sad as we all are, this does not mean learning is closed. And most importantly, it does not mean supporting and celebrating our students is closed,” the district posted on its social media page.
Likewise, during Monday’s Board of Education meeting, North Union Superintendent Rich Baird said the district will continue to work one-on-one with students to complete classwork remotely from their homes.
Schirg said school is more than academic, it is relational.
“Knowing that we are not going to be able to see our staff, see our kids, see our families back on campus for the remainder of this year is really tough. It is really tough when you talk about spring athletes. It is really tough when you talk about our kids that are in band, choir, drama, our seniors, fifth-graders that aren’t getting their clap out.”
Similarly, Allen said the end of each school year is generally a time for celebrations, transitions to new grades and buildings, and saying goodbye to the class of 2020.
“The events that have transpired over the month still seem surreal on so many levels,” Allen said.
Marysville announced recently that it will be holding a virtual graduation ceremony on May 23 at 7 p.m. The event will be a video uploaded online that features some recorded elements of a traditional graduation while individually honoring each graduate.
Allen said at some point in the future, when restrictions on gatherings are lifted, the district will hold a live celebration of the class. Officials have not set a tentative date for the in-person event, even stating that restrictions could delay it until December.
Schirg said now that there is some finality to the decision, there are “little nuts and bolts things that we take for granted in a traditional school year that now we really have to pay special attention to.” He specifically mentioned things like refunding fees, summer cleaning, building maintenance and allowing students to get personal property.
“We want to be very thoughtful and inclusive in these communications as we lay out a path forward,” Schirg said. “So, as we have a better picture, then you can get feedback on those operational practices.”
He said those plans will be rolled out “over the next couple of days.”
Schirg said the district is already going through the budgeting process for next school year.
“We have given guidance to all our departments about trimming budgets to essential purchases,” Schirg said.
District treasurer Aaron Johnson said he is already factoring a revenue loss for next year and even some for this year.
“How much, it is really hard to predict,” Johnson said.
Uncertainty about future safety guidelines also has Marysville officials already considering that classes in the fall could look very different.
“It is clear that like the rest of our lives, school too will look differently until further medical advancements create a vaccine for Covid,” Allen said. “We will continue to prioritize student and staff safety in our plans.”
Many of the ideas being studied are plans which were being considered if children had returned to class May 1. The Marysville Board of Education learned last week that district officials were considering ways to social distance within schools, possible ways to spread out lunch periods and the feasibility of using masks in classrooms.