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Central Plains USD 112 Superintendent Greg Clark had encouraging news for the district’s parents and students March 20, during a special board meeting at Central Plains Elementary School in Holyrood.

Academic instruction — although in a different form — will begin again Monday, March 30.

“It’s going to be something that’s evolving,” Clark said. “It will not be perfect when we first roll it out. It will be something we will tweak. But we’ve already got some great ideas going.”

Clark asked USD 112 parents to be patient.

“We have got some great teachers and administrators that are going to see to it that we continue to try to provide a world class education to our kids,” he said.

The meeting was unusual in that it was done without a live audience due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, patrons were able to watch and listen to the meeting remotely.

“I never thought we’d be in this situation,” said Brad Schiermeyer, board president.

He thanked the district staff and administrators for their efforts and promised the board will continue to do everything it can to support them.

Schiermeyer also thanked parents and students for their understanding as they deal with this distraction in their normal routines.

“I know it will look different,” he said. “We’ll try to make it as normal as it can be.”

A new reality

Clark said he was stunned to learn Gov. Laura Kelly had ordered Kansas schools to close their doors for the remainder of the school year in response to the virus.

“I was in a classroom yesterday,” Clark said. “And it’s like the world stopped.

Clark thanked the principals and the district office staff for their hard work.

“We have gone from a week ago upset that state basketball was cancelled to physically our schools are closed for the reminder of the year,” Clark said.

Learning remotely

Clark said the state board of education has provided Kansas school districts with a 70-plus page plan — the Continuous Learning Task Force Guidance.

“We’re going to try to determine one or two platforms to use for instruction delivery,” he said.

The district is considering Google Classroom, Facebook and Zoom.

Clark said training will be scheduled once a platform is chosen with input from the teachers.

“One thing we are going to ask is that we have some continuity in that platform in buildings,” he said. “So I don’t have one teacher on Zoom, one on Facebook, one on Google. I want everybody in the building, and preferably in the district, using one platform so parents don’t have to try to figure out two or three things.”

Clark said the focus will be on core subjects. Less will be more in this case.

“It’s not going to be an eight hour school day,” he said.

It might be up to three hours a day for high school students. For elementary students, it will be shorter periods of time — 15 to 20 minutes, up to 45-50 minutes broken into sections.

“Your classroom teachers will be working through this and developing this plan starting on Monday (March 23),” Clark said. “We will convey that out to parents probably late next week.”

Grades

Clark predicted improvements in student grades.

“They can’t really drop,” he said. “Each child has got their own home environment that will either help them or hurt them when it comes to doing homework.”

He said grades will not be given to elementary school students for the fourth nine weeks. “We can’t guarantee what

“We can’t guarantee what we’re going to get back and what we’re going to have, but we will have lessons out there,” Clark said. “Teachers will be checking them and giving feedback, but we really feel like it would be very difficult to give a grade.”

Secondary school teachers will determine how they want to grade, Clark noted.

“We’re looking more at weekly work,” he said. “It will be as a daily assignment, but mainly concentrated on weekly. So when we send out a packet of work, it would be for a week, not just for that one day.”

Clark said parents and students don’t have to worry about eligibility because there are no spring sports.

Lending a helping hand

He had a meeting with local internet providers H&B Communications at Holyrood and Wilson Communications, to get internet options for district students.

“I know each of the companies is offering some services,” Clark said, noting both companies are going to help the district add information to their informational channels.

Clark said some teachers have created a private You Tube channel so they can read books to kids.

“We’re going to ask for those videos and play them on our television channels,” he said. “Our goal is to have a continual loop on that channel where kids can go watch lessons or teachers doing a science experiment.”

Too risky

“There was an e-mail chain among superintendents and I’m going to say 98 percent of school districts were not willing to allow students into their buildings,” he said.

Clark said that was the advice he received from Kerianne Ehrlich, supervisor of the Ellsworth County Health Department.

“It’s just too risky,” he said. “So we will not be doing any face-to-face instruction.”

Clark noted, however, exceptions will be made if a student is in a social-emotional crisis or has a mental health issue and needs a counselor.

“But it will be rare,” he added.

Teachers will be allowed in the schools as long as they follow social distancing recommendations.

“If we have teachers and staff members that have underlying health concerns, and they don’t feel comfortable being in the building or around a lot of people, we’ll have to make accommodations for them,” Clark said, noting the school nurse will do a wellness check of staff as they come into the buildings.

Teacher schedules

Clark said teachers will have office hours from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“It is going to be kind of an honor system,” he said. “They are going to need to respond to teach students.”

Clark said some teachers might work from 8 a.m. to noon, then again from 5-8 p.m.

“Whatever it could be to meet the needs of parents that are working,” he added.

Ready for learning

Clark said all student iPads will be preloaded with apps needed for student learning.

“We are currently looking at buying new iPads for those that are about out of date,” he said.

Clark said a survey was sent to parents in the district, with 180 responses.

“We need to see who needs equipment at home,” he said. “And we’re going to send that equipment home.” If the district needs to

If the district needs to order more iPads, Clark said he would let the school board know.

“We’ve got money in capital outlay,” he said. “They are still shipping those and can get those to us in one to two weeks.”

The number of iPads needed is going to be determined as this next week unfolds, Clark said.

High School students in the district each have Chrome books which will be utilized.

Clark said the district’s administration will determine how technology, educational materials and personal items will be distributed.

“No library books will be checked out,” he said, noting they will be disinfected.

Clark is also looking at alternative schedules for cleaning the schools in the district.

July prom and graduation?

Clark said at a future board meeting he plans to ask the school board to reduce credits needed for graduation.

“At this time, graduation and prom are just postponed,” he said. “I won’t cancel them just yet. We might end up doing a graduation in July and a prom in July.”

Board member Tony Zink asked Clark what parents can do if they have any questions Clark said parents should contact their school first.

“It might take us a week or two to get everybody up and running, but they should always contact their school,” Clark added.

More remote meetings

Clark said another special board meeting might be needed during the first week in April — sometime between March 31 and April 2. That date will be announced later. It will be a remote meeting at CPES in Holyrood, without a live audience. He also suggested moving the April 13 regular board meeting from Central Plains Junior-Senior High School in Claflin to CPES in Holyrood. Board members said that was a prudent move, given the circumstances. Again, that meeting will be by remote, without a live audience.

Finally, Clark reminded everyone these plans could change in the future depending upon what happens with the coronavirus.

“We’re off to a good start, but we still have a lot to do,” he said. “It’s going to be different, it’s going to be a challenge, but we’re up to it. We’ve got to have people being positive and making it work.”

In other business:

• Approval was given to a food service plan for use during the school closure.

Clark said on Tuesday, March 24, the district will begin offering breakfast and lunch free of charge to all children ages 1-18 while schools are closed. Parents should call the district office in Holyrood (785) 252-3695, during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and tell the staff where the kids live and how many meals they will need per day. So far, 30 kids have been signed up for the program. He said the plan is to deliver lunch, with the next day’s breakfast included between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. daily. Food delivery and pickup will be as follows:

Claflin — Pick up at Central Plains Junior-Senior High School.

Bushton — Pick up at the parking lot of the former Bushton School building.

Holyrood – Pick up at Central Plains Elementary School.

Wilson — Pick up at Wilson Schools.

Lorraine — Pick up at the bus pick up location.

Odin – Pick up at the Odin Store.

Dorrance — Pick up at the bus stop.

Geneseo — Pick up at the Geneseo Post Office.

Beaver — Pick up at the elevator.

Students who live in the country — The district will home deliver these meals as needed.

Clark said the only cost to the district will be to deliver the meals, and that will be minimal.

Clark urged parents to take advantage of this program for their kids.

“If you want these lunches please ask for them,” he said. “I’m so excited about the opportunity to offer this for our kids.”

• Approval was given to a resolution on wage payments during the emergency school closing. Clark said the district will

Clark said the district will ask for a waiver from the state for the 1,116 hours schools in Kansas are required to meet during the school year. He noted classified

He noted classified employees along with contracted and non-contracted employees, salaried and nonsalaried, will continue to be paid. Teachers will be paid their contracted hours per day.

“We’ll be okay,” Clark said. “We’ve got the money.”

He noted classified staff will likely not be doing the jobs they usually do. Some will help deliver lunches to students.