Nordonia Hills School District Preparing to Start Year with Hybrid, Remote Learning Options
By Emily Chesnic
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Nordonia Hills City School District is moving forward with two options for the first semester of the 2020-21 school year, with option 1 being a hybrid, in person model for education and option 2, a fully remote learning plan.
With the scheduled first day of school just about four weeks away, the district currently is finalizing the details for each academic option, says Superintendent Dr. Joe Clark.
“We are going to do everything we can to give your children the best education,” the superintendent vowed to parents during his Aug. 11 Facebook Live session. “If we are dropping the ball somewhere, let us know, and we will fix it.”
Whether a child is attending classes in-person or online, he or she is 100 percent a student of Nordonia Hills City School District and may participate in extracurricular activities and attend district events, Clark emphasized.
On Aug. 10, Summit County Public Health (SCPH) recommended schools in Summit County begin the 2020-21 academic year with online learning, as it poses the lowest risk of spreading the coronavirus.
However, Clark said SCPH’s announcement is not changing Nordonia’s plan.
The school district’s hybrid model is supported by SCPH, and it is comfortable with the plans for physical distancing and mask wearing and the handwashing protocol and other disinfecting procedures, he said.
Registration for option 2 in the district is now closed. Clark said about 800 students opted for the fully remote plan for the first semester, which is about 22 percent of the district’s entire student body.
He said 100 Northfield Elementary School students are registered for option 2, as are 75 Rushwood Elementary School students, 155 Ledgewood Elementary School students and 125 Lee Eaton Elementary School students.
Clark said 141 students of Nordonia Middle School are taking part in option 2 and 205 Nordonia High School students are, as well.
“What we are doing right now is trying to staff option 2,” said the superintendent.
This week, the teachers for option 2 are being selected, he said.
The district has 3,600 students enrolled for the 2020-21 school year, with about 800 starting remotely and 2,800 following the hybrid schedule, which will allow only 1,400 students in the district buildings “on any given day,” said Clark.
The superintendent is confident social distancing will go well at all the district’s buildings, with both the hybrid and remote learning options in place. He believes students easily will be able to stay at least 6 feet apart, if not 10 feet, in the schools always.
“We are going to really be able to spread the kids out,” he said.
Only 18 students have withdrawn from the district to attend private schools, with the vast majority of those being kindergarten students, Clark said.
All hybrid students beginning the 2020-21 school year at a new school will be invited to get familiar, in person, with his or her building prior to the first day of school, which is Sept. 8, he said. This includes kindergarten, 5th, 7th and 9th grade students, as well as students new to the district.
“The orientations still are being worked out,” said Clark.
This week, the district continues to distribute Chromebooks to students, drive-thru style, and it is going smoothly, reported the superintendent.
Also, during his Facebook Live session, Clark let parents know Gov. Mike DeWine said he does not plan to announce a shutdown of all schools in the state.
If DeWine does mandate the closure of schools in Summit County due to a high number of COVID cases, at any time during the 2020-21 school year, Nordonia Hills would return to operating remotely, he said.
During his Aug. 11 press conference, the governor said, “I think our schools are doing a very good job getting ready for in-person or virtual schooling or both. I have every confidence that they will do everything they can to keep Ohio’s children safe, but whatever is going on in their communities will be reflected in the schools.”
DeWine said, at the press conference, 25.6 percent of public school students in Ohio will begin fully remote and 24.5 percent will be on a hybrid schooling schedule, with 78 school districts in Ohio not supplying the state with reopening information yet.
Currently, most public-school districts in Summit County are moving forward with fully remote and five day a week, in person academic options.
Like Nordonia Hills, the Stow-Munroe Falls and Tallmadge school districts are beginning the new school year with the hybrid, in person and online approaches.
It was anticipated DeWine would address fall sports at the Aug. 11 press conference, but he did not make any formal announcements.
Regarding fall sports for Nordonia Hills’ students, Clark said he believes the golf, tennis, cross country and volleyball seasons will go on as planned. However, he remains unsure about the contact sports, which are soccer and football.
The Ohio High School Athletics Association (OHSAA) announced last week high school football could have a six-game regular season, with every team making the playoffs, however, he said.
“If spectators can come to games still is to be determined,” said Clark.
The families of the athletes, cheerleaders and band members would be the top priority, followed by senior students, he said.
Clark will conduct his next Facebook Live session Aug. 13 at 1 p.m. and will continue to answer questions submitted during this time concerning the upcoming school year.
