CPS board to vote on in-person learning soon after work session

Columbia’s youngest students could be back in the classroom next month.

The CPS Board of Education on Thursday morning spoke with administrators about how a return to some in-person learning would look.

Superintendent Peter Stiepleman said the plan is to have some students, mostly second grade and younger, back in-seat two days a week. He says those students are easiest to transition since they can mostly stay in the classroom throughout the day.

“It’s the stable group that presents an opportunity for us to bring back potentially [elementary students] but why we would want to stagger those students first,” Stiepleman said.

CPS started the year online only for most students because of coronavirus concerns.

The school board will vote to officially start bringing kids back to the classroom, in phases, during the Oct. 12 meeting. If approved, youngest students could return to CPS buildings by Oct. 19.