File photo
File photo
The Galesburg School District 205 board has decided to stay with a plan it had previously adopted over the summer and keep the majority of its 4,261 K-12 students learning online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A report in the Register Mail said the board’s decision came after a public hearing was held featuring over five hours of public testimony. The session was also attended by public health officials including Knox County Health Dept. CEO Michele Gabriel. Concerns were expressed about remaining on virtual instruction for students with individualized programs and at-risk students, some of whom are struggling with online learning.
Superintendent John Asplund recommended remaining with the current plan because of the potential problems of having more students at school in-person with the flu season approaching during winter and an expected increase in COVOD-19 cases.
The expenses of transportation and potential liability were also cited, as well as the cost of added protective equipment. Those wishing a return to in-person instruction argued that the emotional and social problems caused by children staying home and the difficulty for their parents warranted a reconsideration.
In the end, the board opted to follow the recommendation of Asplund. No vote was taken.
The board opted for a step-by-step approach in which as the year progresses students at the lowest levels of achievement in kindergarten through second grade would be brought in for in-person learning first. Students with special needs would then be brought in and later older at-risk children in the third and fourth grades.
Parents were notified of the plan on Oct. 12.
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