COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland School District One has released their reopening plans. They’re offering two different models for parents to choose from, but every student will start the school year virtually.
Model One is a phased reopening approach. Phase one of that approach is virtual learning.
Model Two is a virtual academy – students will learn online for the entire year.
As for the phased model, superintendent Dr. Craig Witherspoon says:
“[students] will have their teachers, they will have their class, [but] instruction will be digital. The goal being, as we transition to hybrid or to face-to-face, that same class will exist moving from virtual to hybrid to face-to-face.”
Richland One’s phased reopening model depends on high, medium or low spread of COVID-19. Richland County has a high spread of the virus right now so students will be e-learning. When things move to a medium risk, students will transition to a hybrid model – some days will be virtual, and others will be in-person. Finally, when the rate of spread of COVID-19 is low, the district will transition students to a traditional school schedule.
“We will continue to monitor the DHEC reports that come out every other week and I’m thinking of putting together another advisory committee that will help us with those results,” Witherspoon says.
If a student is in the virtual academy, they’ll stay online no matter what the coronavirus risk is.
"Now with the virtual academy, it’s a different set of teachers that [students] would stay with for the full year… Just a little different approach than the e-learning in the phased model.”
Students will obviously need internet access and the right technology… But not everybody does.
“We’ve purchased laptops so that will help close the gap,” Witherspoon says, “Also, we’ll continue to assess broadband access and internet access. We’ve purchased hot spots. [But] we have certain areas in our district that don’t have broadband. So, the hot spot won’t work. There’s no tower to connect to. So, we still have to assess where those students are and what we might do.”
Richland One is pushing back the first day of school from August 19 to August 31. The deadline to enroll in the virtual academy is July 30.
Dr. Witherspoon says Richland One will not offer 5-day in person instruction until DHEC determines that the rate of spread of COVID-19 in Richland County is low.