Area schools are preparing for a new school year under difficult circumstances because of COVID-19. School administrators and teachers are trying to accommodate all students with in-class and virtual learning options. District leaders are striving to make the in-school environment as safe as possible following the state mandates and guidelines for the health of teachers and students.
In most schools parents will have the option to choose between in-school classes or home virtual classes.
Blytheville Superintendent Bobby Ashley said the district will be offering both in-person classes and virtual learning classes. At the present time about 680 students have signed up for virtual classes but they have not been able to reach everyone to explain what virtual school will consist of. Blytheville finished the 2019-2020 school year with an enrollment of 1,828 students.
The district plans for all students, face to face and virtual, to start school on Aug. 24.
Manila Superintendent Jason Evers said Manila has about six percent (60 students) of the population looking at virtual learning. Manila ended the 2019-2020 school year with 1040 students in K-12 with an additional 60 students in pre-kindergarten. Manila School District has plans to begin the 2020-2021 school year on Monday, Aug. 24, with Pre-K boys, kindergarten, second grade, fourth grade, sixth grade, eighth grade, 10th grade and 12th grade and Tuesday, Aug. 25 with Pre-K girls, first grade, third grade, fifth grade, seventh grade, ninth grade and 11th grade. All students will attend on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Superintendent Bonard Mace said the district will offer both face to face and Virtual Academy for the Gosnell students with all classes starting on Aug. 24. Gosnell District ended the 2019-2020 school year with an enrollment of 1,127 students. To date, 147 Gosnell students have signed with the Virtual Academy. Across the board those planning to utilize the virtual learning averages out about 10 percent in every grade level.
Riverside Superintendent Jeff Priest said as of now in grades kindergarten through 12 they have 183 students signed up for virtual learning called ROC, Riverside Online Classroom. Riverside ended the 2019-2020 school year with 761 students. School will begin on Aug. 24 with fourth through sixth grades and 10-12 grade students attending. On Tuesday, Aug. 25, first through third grades and seventh through ninth grades will attend. All 1-12th grades will attend on Wednesday, Aug. 26. Kindergarten students will start with the girls on Wednesday, Aug. 26, boys on Thursday, Aug. 27, and all kindergarten students on Friday, Aug. 28.
KIPP Delta Schools will open on Aug. 24 utilizing all virtual classes in grades 3-12 until Oct. 12. After Oct. 12, students can choose all virtual or a hybrid/blended schedule with two days in-person classes and two virtual classes. Kindergarten through second grade students will have the option of all virtual or in-person classes starting Aug. 24. KIPP Delta is in the process of gathering statistics on the number of students planning on remaining all virtual. The enrollment for the KIPP Delta, including Blytheville and Helena, ended last year with 1,300 students.
For more information on reopening and updates, log on to www.kippdelta.org.
Armorel Superintendent Tiffany Morgan said Armorel will have in-school classes and five day a week face-to-face instruction for students and an option for those who wish to take the virtual route. Currently, Armorel has a little over 10 percent of the students who are planning to take virtual courses. The majority of these students are at secondary level. Armorel ended the 2019-2020 school year with an enrollment of 419 students. Unless there are changes from the state, all students will start the school year on Aug. 24. Teachers will begin school on Aug. 10 as originally planned.
Rivercrest Superintendent Sally Bennett said families may choose the traditional option (which will incorporate digital learning) or the Rivercrest Virtual Academy for students in grades K-12. “Approximately 30 percent of our families have selected the virtual option,” Bennett said. “With this option, parents are responsible for providing internet access in the home.” Rivercrest finished the 2019-2020 school year with a K-12 enrollment of 1,109. Current plans are to begin the school year on Aug. 24 with all students starting on the same day.
Buffalo Island Central will offer both in class and virtual learning starting the 2020-2021 school year. Superintendent Gaylon Taylor said the last count for students in elementary and high school planning on using the virtual learning system is 142. BIC had an enrollment of 720 at the end of the 2019-2020 school year. All students will begin the school year on Aug. 24.