93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
The Columbia Public Schools Board of Education voted on Monday night to start the return to in-person learning for elementary school students, but not middle schoolers and high schoolers.
Most students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade will learn in CPS buildings four days a week, starting Oct. 19. That passed by a board vote of 4-3 on Monday night. Motions failed to return middle schoolers in-seat on Nov. 5, and high schoolers on Jan. 19. They will continue learning online-only.
District leaders have said elementary students can more easily stay in stable groups throughout the school day. Older students move around their buildings more, and are more likely to come in close contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19.
The vast majority of CPS students have started the semester learning online-only because of COVID-19 concerns. Coronavirus numbers have dropped since August, according to the district’s 14-day tracker. That number was at 33.3 as of Oct. 12, in the range for hybrid learning.
CPS leaders at one point were looking at learning in-person two days a week, while having students go online the remaining three days. But district leaders said during a special session in early October that plan no longer seemed viable. For example, parents had concerns about what to do with children on the three days a week they were not in-seat.
Elementary students will stay home on Wednesdays. The district plans to clean the building on those days. Children will not be able to maintain six-foot social distancing in the classroom, according to Supt. Peter Stiepleman.
Most Columbia Public Schools students have not learned in-person since March because of the pandemic. The majority of parents and students who spoke during public comment during Monday night’s meeting backed returning students of all age groups to in-person learning.
