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Lexington One plan for upcoming school year includes distance, in-person teaching

Students can choose between distance learning or returning to in-person teaching in the fall.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Lexington School District One has released their proposal for the 2020-2021 school year, which includes different distance learning options for students. 

The school board created different plans for elementary, middle and high school students.

Cynthia Smith, chair of the school board, said that the plans include options for students. 

"For students in kindergarten through grade five, we’re suggesting offering families two options for re-entry in the fall: that would be the family model and the home base model,” she said.

In the family model, students would stay in their family classroom during the school day except for recess or outdoor instruction.

“Students are not required to practice social distancing or wear face coverings while in that family model classroom,” Smith said. 

RELATED: AccelerateED task force presents final recommendations for schools

Teachers visiting the classroom would wear personal protective equipment. Elementary school days would be from 7:50 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., allowing time for staggered entry and exit from the building. 

The Lexington One school board also proposed to have “Distance Learning Wednesdays” every other week.

Middle and high school students would have the option of virtual instruction from home, or an 'AB hybrid' model. 

“In a hybrid schedule model, students will be assigned to either a cohort A group or a cohort B group to support social distancing. For students, this means they will have two days of face-to-face instruction and three days of virtual learning each week,” Smith said. 

If a student is in cohort A, they would come to school on Mondays and Thursdays. If in cohort B, they would attend Tuesdays and Fridays. All students would have weekly “Distance Learning Wednesdays.”

RELATED: SC students are in need of internet access for distance learning

The board is recommending that middle schools begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4:15 p.m., with high schools ending at 3:50 p.m. 

Students would have 10 minutes to transition between classes, allowing time for social distancing.

For transportation, Lexington One said that parents will be able to choose a plan for their children.  

"In the next week or so, we will reach out to parents and ask them to pick a plan for each of their children. Once we have those commitments and know those numbers, Transportation can plan more exactly down to the pick-up and drop-off minute," an email from the district reads. 

Other school districts are still working on their school year plans. Newberry County School District said the following in a statement:

“We are in the process of analyzing the new guidance just released by the AccelerateED task force. We have a meeting with our district leadership team on Tuesday and will be discussing the document in detail as well as planning for options in the fall.”

Richland School District Two said they will also be giving an update on Tuesday.

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