New School Year - 12/18/20

The school year that begins in fall of 2021 may look a little different for the columbus municipal school district.

Classes will be in session for extended periods to target student achievement and learning loss.

School administrators are currently developing a plan for teachers,students ,and parents.

Our stephanie poole has more of those details.

She joins us in the studio with more.

Joey, the district says having students in the classroom 'more' will open the opportunity for engaged learning.

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That's why board members are working to develop a modified schedule to focus on college readiness, grade- level preparedness, and instructional- learning.

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The columbus muncipal school district is exploring a change in the school calendar.

This new schedule will ease the summer slide for teachers and students.

" our students are in different learning environments.

We've been in the virtual and hybrid setting and our teachers have been asked to do things that are unprecedented."

Superintendent dr. cherie labat says the district will follow a similar model to corinth school district, taking four weeks from summer break to spread it throughout the school year,also known as 'intersessions'.

" we can work on students and give them gray-level instruction during the year.

We're being proactive and preparing for those deficits by getting our students where they need to be during the year.

I do feel we can replicate that type of success."

Dr. labat says intersession will also promote academic achievement, college and career readiness, and workforce development for graduating students.

" there will be some critical moments in education in the next two years because of what we've gone through.

There's exhaustion, there's trauma, there's pads.there's things we'll deal with from students with academic interruption from quarantine and positive cases."

Even though participation for intersession is optional for teachers, educator roselynn rainey is already on board.

" you're refreshed and not so worn out.

What i liked was the intersession in october because you can work on those fundamental skills that the kids need instead of waiting until the end of the year playing catch up."

Rainey says during the summer, more than half the students will forget what they've learned.

" the first intersession you do fundamentals and the next intersession you do enrichment where it's something that you like or you want to learn more about so it makes learning more exciting for them."

Butt sots " i am so amazed at how many parents are in agreement with the modified schedule.

They're speaking up on how it will help our students here at fairview elementary."

Labat says there are a few steps to complete before a final decision is made for the 21-22 school year.

She and board members will continue researching the best method possible.

"our teachers are not going to work any more days than the 187 days than they are contracted.

Our students, unless they need the assistance, acceleration, enrichment, or remediation will only go to school 180 days.

Being an innovative district with innovative employees we want to do something that's progressive for our students by providing shorter breaks to eliminate learning loss and to deal with the covid-19 slide."

Dr. labat tells me another community stakeholder meeting will be on january7th.

The columbus municipal school district will also meet with the corinth school district about those developments and school plans.

Dr. labat also says traditional holiday's such as thanksgiving, christmas,and easter will not be altered.