Keith Hale, left, and Bo Matthews, right, recently unveiled plans to their Boards of Education that detailed how they would send students back to school on a mostly in-person schedule.
GLASGOW, Ky. – The Glasgow Independent and Barren County School systems will return to a sense of normalcy by mid-March.
Governor Andy Beshear recommended all Kentucky schools return to mostly in-person instruction at their own discretion by March. Beshear released the information earlier this week in an executive order, which was mostly a recommendation.
Some of those specific guidelines released by Beshear mirror the “Healthy at School and Work” safety protocols.
Those guidelines include:
- School staff, educators and students must continue to wear face masks.
- Density reduction in classrooms, halls, school buses and other areas of heightened risk.
- Evaluate school buildings’ ventilation systems and consider appropriate safety procedures.
- Provide meaning, virtual options for all students.
- Regularly review incidence rate maps to appropriately plan school activities to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Both city and county school systems discussed their plans for returning students this month. Glasgow and Barren County Boards of Education approved unique plans.
Barren County Schools:
The Barren County Board of Education voted unanimously Feb. 22 to return four days of the week. Fridays will remain as a distanced learning day.
Some students returned to school on a hybrid schedule last fall. The schedule modified distanced learning and allowed more students to attend the schools.
- Elementary schools return March 8.
- Barren County Middle and High School returns March 15.
“On March 9, all juniors at Barren County High School will be taking the ACT,” according to a press release. “On this day, they will be the only students in attendance on our high school campus.”
Other students at the high school will work remotely that day.
Glasgow Independent Schools:
The school system moved Feb. 8 to adopt similar plans. The school system was previously operating on a hybrid schedule too.
- Glasgow Middle School returns March 1.
- Glasgow High School returns March 8.
- Glasgow Preschool Academy, South Green Elementary and Highland Elementary returned Feb. 1.
Additional information was published on the district’s website.
As more teachers are vaccinated, school systems appear to be placing a heavier emphasis on in-person learning. Education officials hope this will begin to fill educational gaps created and amplified through the COVID-19 pandemic.