By Dewey Terrill
JC Post
Online enrollment is under way for the upcoming school year in Geary USD 475. Reginald Eggleston, Superintendent of Schools explained when parents and their students enroll there will be a choice for them on the type of school instruction they prefer. "It's going to be a combination. We're looking at brick and mortar, we're going to give parents an opportunity to select from brick and mortar or the option of remote, which is going to be our e-learning platform. "
Eggleston noted by providing that option if a person is uncomfortable or may have a preexisting health condition that would make them more vulnerable to the virus then they can choose the remote learning.
The Superintendent said the district is seeking guidance from the State Department of Education on the possibility of a student remaining at their home for the entire learning process or attending classes at school part of the time. "We believe it is going to be a combination of the two. We may have some students who are solely brick and mortar, some solely at home and then there may be some who need a combination of the two. " Eggleston added District officials are waiting to see how a hybrid arrangement would work and how the State Department would give the District credit for it.
"We still have the 1,116 hour requirement as far as the number of hours students have to be educated. Within that equation is what we're awaiting guidance on."
USD 475 issued a statement this week via social media that many in district have questions about what the remote learning will entail. That information will be provided by USD 475 after it's approved and shared by the State Board of Education on July 16. Until then the District is in a waiting mode.
USD 475 knows what they can offer with the remote learning option but haven't been provided with the Kansas State Statutes and Audit Qualifiers, and do not know yet how the District will be expected to meet those. That is the reason officials can't share what the remote learning option will require and mean for USD 475 yet.