Omaha Public Schools is making plans to phase students back into classrooms — if student families choose to do so.
While remote learning will remain an option for student families, the district is planning to welcome K-12 students in the alternate curriculum, transition, elementary behavioral skills, and special ed programs five days a week starting Sept. 23.
The phased plan began this week, with students at J.P. Lord School returning to five days per week on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Additional phases are outlined as follows:
On Sept. 23, 2020, the following students will return:
- Five days per week in-person
- K-12 Alternate Curriculum Program (ACP)
- Transition
- Elementary Behavioral Skills Program (BSP)
- All Early Childhood Special Education Students
- Hearing Impaired Classrooms
On Oct. 5, 2020, the following students will return:
- Family 3/2 Model
- Early Childhood
- Elementary School
- Middle School
- Middle School Behavioral Skills Program (BSP)
- Five days per week in-person
- Parrish
- Student Success Program
On Oct. 19, 2020, the following students will return:
- Family 3/2 Model
- High School
- High School Behavioral Skills Program (BSP)
- ESL Teen Literacy Center
- Career Center
- Accelere
- Independent Study
- Blackburn
- Five days per week in-person
- Gateway to College
- OPS/UNO Middle College
- Modified blended learning model
- Omaha Virtual School
“We certainly appreciate the amount of support that we have received since March. At this time, we are ready to bring our students back into schools,” Dr. Cheryl Logan, superintendent of Omaha Public Schools, said in the release. “As we move forward, every one of us, from our smallest three-year-olds to our seniors, can contribute to making sure we have a safe, responsible return to school.”
Meals will be available in the school cafeterias on days students are at school, with the Meals2Go program continuing to provide lunches on days students are not in class or for those who continue with remote learning.
In a letter from Logan sent to student families on Wednesday, OPS said it was still planning to have fall sports play during the spring season. “Students would be able to attend practices on days when they are not on-site through our Family 3/2 model,” the letter states. But students participating in 100% remote learning will not be able to participate in any on-site extra-curricular activities.
If a school returns to full remote-learning due to a COVID-19 outbreak, all extra-curricular activities would be suspended while students are learning from home, the letter states.
The letter instructed student families to watch for an additional email with a form indicating whether students would return to class or remain in remote-learning, noting the selection had to be made by Sunday.
OPS said it would provide an updated calendar with the Family 3/2 plans sometime next week.