All e-learning

Students in Indiana will not return to their classrooms for the 2019-20 school year.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick announced Thursday afternoon schools will not reopen and corporations are expected to deliver "remote instruction" for the remainder of the school year.

“I know the news I deliver today for some of you is not the news you have been looking for, but again, all of us have to do our part,” said McCormick. “I appreciate the support from educators. We appreciate the support from families.”

It marks the latest step Indiana has taken in its effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus. As of this morning’s update, the state had 3,437 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 101 deaths related to the disease.

Schools must provide instruction for a total of 160 days — Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb previously issued a 20-day waiver — or complete at least 20 days of remote learning from today through the end of the school year.

Jay School Corporation had already been making use of e-learning and waiver days on an every-other-day basis anticipating the possibility that schools would not return to session.

“We built the plan with the available waiver days alternating in between e-learning days to make it to the end of the year from its conception,” said Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley.

That plan will continue through May 15, with then three consecutive e-learning days currently slated for Monday, May 18, through Wednesday, May 22, which would be the last day of school.

However, Gulley pointed out Thursday under that schedule the corporation still has two waiver days available to use, but administrators and staff have not yet settled on a plan for those. He added the corporation is working on guidelines for taking attendance and grading and plans to announce those early next week.

Indiana Department of Education will require school corporations to submit a “continuous learning plan” by April 17 detailing how they will move forward and sets guidelines for staff to follow.

“Our goal, given this difficult situation, is to make sure that students have some type of continuous learning,” said McCormick.

For the Class of 2020, anyone who totals enough credits between those already earned and those they are enrolled for this semester will be allowed to graduate.

Exams that are typically required for graduation have been waived.

“Graduates, our goal is to get you across that stage,” McCormick said.

Gulley on Thursday reinforced his commitment to holding a prom and graduation ceremony at some point.

“Our plan remains unchanged,” he said. “We’re committed to having (graduation). It will happen. It doesn’t make sense right now to say dates and times and how it will look. What is certain is it’s going to happen.”

He added he’s thinking about other ways to potentially offer opportunities for members of the Class of 2020 to create senior memories.

Gulley also noted Jay Schools staff will begin planning for the end of the year. They are taking into consideration procedures for students who still have items in their lockers and what to do with Chromebooks and other devices that were sent home for e-learning purposes.

“We’re all going to have to collaborate on that and think through how that will look,” Gulley said.

He added plans are in the works to continue to provide food service into the summer if necessary.

Also Thursday, the state extended teacher licenses through Sept. 1.