As the school year comes to an end for Roaring Fork School District and Aspen School District students, the districts are already preparing for what learning may look like in the fall.
Roaring Fork School District laid outthree potential learning models for the 2020-2021 school year: face-to-face instruction, distance learning and a hybrid of the two.
- In-person learning, when most teachers and students return to the classroom full-time, would happen if the risk of contracting coronavirus is low.
- Distance learning would continue if coronavirus risks are high. The district says the fall would see a more comprehensive and coordinated approach than the one implemented in spring 2020.
- As long as public health conditions allow, a hybrid model would incorporate some elements of in-person learning and distance learning. That could include staggered schedules for students and teachers or prioritizing some high-need students for in-person instruction.
The district will look to public health officials for advice on risk levels before choosing a plan. The official announcement for next school year's model is expected at the end of July. Roaring Fork School officials said in Wednesday's board of education meeting that if school was to return with the face-to-face model, distance learning would be available to students who need it.
The Aspen School District said it will work directly with Pitkin County Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when making a call on an official learning plan for next school year. District officials have not yet said when a decision will be announced.
Both plans from Aspen School District and Roaring Fork School District stem from guidance from the Colorado Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local public health departments.
