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PSS to start classes fully remote
The Public School System will be starting off the new school year completely online before transitioning to its hybrid learning plan.
Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred Ada said that PSS will be having online classes when schools reopen on Sept. 8.
In a previous Board of Education meeting, Ada said that PSS did a survey among parents and, of the 2,000 parents who responded, half of them were still hesitant to send their children to school.
“So the PSS management team has come together and decided that the best way to address this is to go 100% remote learning, but bring in the students that need one-to-one interaction,” he said.
Ada said that PSS would still need to provide hybrid learning—a combination of face-to-face and online learning. However, only 10% of students will attend the hybrid learning classes.
Ada explained that the hybrid approach would be for students who need additional help and are required to be in the classroom for a couple of hours on a daily basis. For safety purposes, each classroom will have 10 students or less only.
“It is not just students that are below reading level. It could be students with high social-emotional needs. They may be smart, but they are not motivated. We need to address that too. Teachers and principals will determine who among their students need face-to-face learning,” he said.
In the remote learning approach, Ada said PSS will use Blackboard Ultra as its platform.
