Bozeman Kids Another Step Closer to Full-Time in Person Learning
The Bozeman School Board set transition dates at their Monday meeting for kids to return back to in-school learning full-time. The earliest dates are not until November and they will only happen under metrics approved by the board, and subject to a vote. The school board plans to define just what those metrics will be at their next scheduled meeting.
Last night's school board meeting didn't end until after midnight when the Board voted 7-1 to approve the transition dates, which are as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten - 5th Grade: November 2nd
Middle School - Start of 2nd Trimester, November 23rd.
High School - Beginning of 2nd Semester: January 25th.
Many parents who participated in public comment questioned why the district did not already have metrics in place. Some school administrators expressed concern that they would need time to make the transition back to full-time happen smoothly.
Back on August 10th, the Bozeman School Board voted 5-3 to open the school year under a blended model where half of the students are in the classroom Monday & Tuesday, while the other half attends on Thursday & Friday. Distance learning is used on the other three days.
The opening of the school year was also delayed until September 8th to give teachers time to train and get up to speed on the online learning system Canvas, which the district purchased for online learning. Many parents are reportedly not fans of the new system or distance learning, in general.
Dan Mills, principal of Bozeman High School, was quoted in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle Tuesday morning as saying, "it was difficult to judge the effectiveness of the current model after two-and-a-half weeks of school. He also added that Canvas, the online learning platform the district is using, was “getting more effective by the minute.”