The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of uncertainty about how to restart normal activities, including school. Administrators, teachers, parents and students have been grappling with what school in the fall should look like for months.
On July 2, Gov. Mike DeWine released guidance for schools to follow in order to keep staff and students safe. Although interim Ohio Department of Health Director Lance Himes issued a separate order on August 13 mandating that all K-12 students must wear face coverings in school, DeWine has mantained that most choices in regard to schooling are up to each individual school district.
There is a lot of variance in how schools are planning to restart. Some are starting online only. Some are mainly in person with an online only option. Others have opted for a hybrid model. Below are details how each public school district in Portage and Summit Counties are planning on reopening.
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Portage County
The district plans to resume face-to-face learning five days a week for all students. However, an online option is available.
Masks are required for faculty, staff and students in grades 1-12.
The district is adding hand sanitizing stations, a larger custodial presence, set times for students to wash/sanitize their hands and student desk dividers.
Parents are expected to check their students for symptoms before sending them to school.
Bio-med Science Academy STEM School
No information has been made available.
Crestwood Local School District
If Portage County remains at a Level 1 or Level 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, the district plans for students to attend in-person classes five days a week. If Portage County becomes a Level 3, students will be split into two groups, A and B. Students in Group A will take in-person classes on Mondays and Tuesdays, and students in Group B will take in person classes on Thursdays and Fridays. All students will have online classes on Wednesdays. Additionally, there is an all-online option available for students.
The district plans to disinefect classrooms daily, have students use hand sanitizer upon entering and leaving classrooms and not using lockers.
Parents are expected to check their children for symptoms before sending them to school.
The district plans for students to start school in person. There is an online option for those uncomfortable attending in-person classes.
The district plans to disinfect classrooms daily and common areas multiple times a day.
Parents are responsible to check their children for symptoms, including temperature, before sending their children to school.
James A. Garfield Local School District
No plans have been released.
The district plans to use a blended learning option and make decisions based on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Portage County and it's surrounding areas are at a Level 1, 2, or 3, half of the students will attend in-person classes in Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the other half will attend in person classes Wednesdays and Fridays. All students will learn remotely on Mondays. If Portage County reaches a Level 4, all classes will be held online. Additionally, there is a completely online option.
The district plans to have hand sanitizing stations, frequently clean high touched surfaces and deep clean school buildings every night.
Students and staff must self report temperatures daily. If the district has a positive case, it will begin monitoring the temperatures of staff and students.
The district has delayed the school year to start September 1.
Maplewood Career Center
The district plans for in-person classes five days a week. No online option is available.
The school plans for more cleaning throughout the day.
Students, visitors and staff will have their temperatures checked upon entering the building.
The district plans to hold in-person classes five days a week. An online option is available.
The district plans to clean buildings frequently.
Parents must check their student for symptoms before sending them to school.
Rootstown Local School District
The district plans to make decisions based on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Portage County is at a Level 1 or 2, in-person classes will be held. If Portage County reaches Level 3, class will be a hybrid model. Additonally, there is an all online option.
The district plans for custodians to disinfect classrooms and common areas.
Parents must asses their children for symptoms before sending them to school.
Southeast Local School District
The district plans to start the school year with a hybrid model. Students with last names A-L will attend in-person classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and every other Friday. Students with last names M-Z will attend in-person classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and every other Friday. This model will be used until October 2 when the district will move to in-person classes five days a week so long as Portage County is a Level 1 or 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. Additionally, an all online option is available.
The district plans to disinfect buildings more frequently, have hand sanitizing stations and thermometer kiosks and social distance six feet.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school. Thermometer kiosks will be used to check students' temperatures daily.
Streetsboro City School District
The district plans for students to take in-person classes five days a week if Portage County is at a Level 1 or 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Portage County reaches a 3 or a 4, the district will use a hybrid model. Additionally, an online option is available.
The district plans for the custodial staff to deep clean each building every night.
Parents must assess their childen's health before sending them to school.
Waterloo Local School District
The district plans for students to attend five days a week of in-person classes if Portage County is at a Level 1 or 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Portage County reaches a Level 3, students will be split into two groups, A and B. Group A will attend in-person classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. Group B will attend in-person classes on Thursdays and Fridays. All students will attend online classes on days when they don't have in-person class. Additionally, an all online option is available.
Parents must asses their children's health before sending them to school.
Windham Exempted Village School District
The district plans to start with a hybrid model. Students with last nams A-K will attend in-person classes two days a week, and students with last names L-Z will attend in-person classes two different days a week. The district hopes by October 5 to switch to in-person classes five days a week. An online option is available.
Parents must asses student's health before sending them to school.
Summit County
The district plans to be fully online.
Barberton City School District
The district plans to hold in-person classes five days a week with staggered start times. An online option is available for students who don't feel comfortable being in the buildings.
The district plans to perform routine deep cleaning procedures and sanitize common surfaces throughout the day.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Copley-Fairlawn City School District
The district plans for all school to take place online.
The district is planning on holding in-person classes five days a week with staggered start and end times. Different grades will begin on different dates. If state or local guidelines require the district to implement social distancing in buildings or buses, the district will move to a hybrid model. Remote learning will be used on COVID-19 cleaning days.
The district plans to have custodians disinfect classrooms daily and common areas multiple times a day.
Parents are responsible to do wellness checks on their children, including taking their temperature, before sending them to school every day.
Cuyahoga Falls City School District
The district plans to use a hybrid model when Summit County is at a Level 1 or 2 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. Students in grades K-12 with last names starting with A-K will attend school in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays. Students in grades K-12 with last names starting with L-Z will attend school in-person on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The district plans for all classrooms, offices, and all other highly touched areas to be disinfected at the end of each day.
Health checks and temperature assessments must be done at home.
The district plans for students in grades 6-12 to begin the school year remotely. Students in grades K-5 have the option of in-person or remote learning.
The district plans for staff to clean highly touched areas.
Parents must asses their children's health before sending them to school.
The district plans to follow the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Summit County is at a Level 3, the district will implement hybrid learning. The district will start the year with hybrid learning, although an online option is available.
The district plans to disinfect classroooms, restrooms, offices and all other highly touched areas.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Manchester Local School District
The district plans to hold in-person classes five days a week. An online option is available.
The district plans for custodians to clean each building every day.
There will be thermal monitoring before entering the school. Parents are also expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Mogadore Local School District
The district will begin the school year completely online.
The district plans to clean and disinfect rooms daily.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Nordonia Hills City School District
The district plans for students to attend face-to-face instruction five days a week starting August 20. An online option is also available.
The district plans to clean and disinfect rooms daily.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health before sending them to school.
The district plans to start the school year remotely.
The district plans to disinfect rooms regularly.
The district will conduct a temperature check daily.
The district plans to operate based on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Summit County is at a Level 3, the district will utilize a hybrid model. Otherwise, there will be in-person classes five days a week.
Parents should assess their children's health before sending them to school. There will be temperature kiosks for students and staff.
Springfield Local School District
The district plans for students in grades K-12 to attend in-person classes five days a week. An online option is available.
The district plans for custodians to disinfect classrooms daily.
Parents are expected to assess their children's health.
Stow-Munroe Falls City School District
The district plans to operate based on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. If Summit County is at Level 1 or 2, students will have in-person classes five days a week. If Summit County is at a Level 3, students with last names A-L will do online learning Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Students with last names M-Z will do online learnin Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. An online option is available.
The district plans for custodians to sanitize classrooms at the end of the day and throughout the day.
Parents must assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Twinsburg City School District
The district plans for preschoolers to attend in-person half day sessions Monday through Thursday. K-6 students will attend in-person classes five days a week. Students in grades 7-12 will attend in-person class every other day and complete work at home on days they are not at school. An online option is also available.
The district plans to keep classroom doors open, keep desks apart for social distancing, sanitize restrooms every two hours and sanitize classrooms during class changes and after school.
Parents must assess their children's health before sending them to school.
Data for this story was collected by the Collaborative News Lab @ Kent State University.
