Live Q&A Follows Town Hall as Parents Decide on Hybrid or Virtual – TAPinto.net
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood School District’s Return to School Town Hall was the first opportunity for parents to learn how their child might begin learning in-person again for the first time since March.
The pre-recorded town hall has gotten over two thousand views on YouTube since Thursday. To answer any further questions that families may have about the return to school plan, SOMSD is hosting a live Q&A on Monday, Dec. 21, at 7:30 p.m on WebEx and YouTube Live. All questions have to be submitted to the district by Monday at noon.
This Q&A will be the only opportunity that community members will have to directly ask questions to district administrators before they have to decide whether they will send their kids back to school in person two days a week come the end of January. The preference form is due on January 4 to give the district time to prepare for how many kids will be in school buildings and how the classrooms will have to be organized to maintain social distancing.
Kim Norsworthy Kondak has a 7th grader and an 11th grader; those age groups would not be returning until Phase 4 on January 25. Kondak says she made her decision not to send her kids for hybrid in-person learning after watching the town hall.
“The risk is still not worth the reward unless they are in school full time,” said Kondak.
Her main reason for keeping her kids home was the return date being so soon.
“If it was February I might feel differently. With the current surge and Essex County in the red zone, I’m just not comfortable with mid-January at this stage,” said Kondak.
This is in contrast to the parents who have been calling for schools to reopen since earlier this fall. That each family can make the decision at their own discretion is a feature of this plan that the district has highlighted.
“We want to provide families with information needed to make a final decision on the instructional model they will choose for their children,” said Superintendent Dr. Ronald Taylor at the town hall.
Kondak says her children have adjusted well to Canvas and virtual schooling, however she is worried that the increase in asynchronous learning time will have a negative effect. Taylor did mention that the learning experience will change for all students come January, he added that the district is working to make sure that all students can have the best learning environment possible.
SOMSD Return to School Live Q&A:
Connect via WebEx:
Event Link: https://bit.ly/38es9N7
Event Number: 179 741 0552
Event Password: Orange20Maple
Dial-In Information:
Phone: 408-418-9388
Event Number: 179 741 0552
Password: 67264320
Connect via SOMSD YouTube
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