So far, so good with in-person and virtual instruction at Burrell School District

As school districts throughout the region debated how to open this year as fears of covid-19 continued, the Burrell School Board decided to give parents the choice.

And that decision seems to be working so far, according to school officials. Although the district reported one covid-19 case involving a high school student Friday, there was no sign of changing up anything now.

“The plan is working well,” said Shannon Wagner, school superintendent during Tuesday’s school board meeting. “The team approach to cleaning the facilities is working, students are wearing their masks, and the teachers are making sure they are 6 feet from the kids,” she said.

This summer, the board agreed to offer student families the choice of venue for their children’s education: live in the classroom, live virtual classes, Burrell’s eAcademy cyber school or an outside cyber school.

Most parents decided to send their children to school.

As of Oct. 12, the percentage of Burrell students attending in person at the high school was 77%; Charles A. Huston Middle School, 76%, Stewart Elementary School 77%, and Bon Air Elementary 83%, according to Wagner.

She plans to send another letter and survey out to the parents who have children attending school virtually to see if they want to change how their children go to school.

Wagner said she will have the results and information for the school board next month.

At this point, the school board might be inclined to continue offering students an option of attending in person or virtually, said Tricia Shank, school board president.

“But we need to know what to anticipate in the next nine weeks so we are prepared,” she said.

Also, the option of letting students take class virtually could come in handy during cold and flu season when sniffles or a cough will prevent students from showing up for class in person.

“People are being extra cautious and you don’t want the students to miss school with, say, the after-effects of getting a flu shot.”

Virtual learning can be a challenge

Shank said she has heard good things from parents about the school arrangements so far, but admits that for some parents, the technology of virtual learning can be challenging.

With virtual classes, some young children can’t sustain their attention to what is going on in the classroom, Wagner said.

“You can’t put and 6-year-old in front of a computer and think it will be OK,” Wagner said. “That is something we are working through.”

In-person classes are going well, Wagner said. Student desks are spaced as far apart as possible.

That ranges between 3 and 6 feet, she said.

The school administration hasn’t received any requests asking that student not to wear a mask, she noted.

After spending time at Bon Air Elementary this week, Wagner visited seven classroom and saw kids take mask and snack breaks.

“Everybody is adjusting,” she said. “Only once did I see a teacher ask a student to pull up a mask.”