Middleton-Cross Plains School District to have 100% online classes for beginning of 2020-21 school year

MIDDLETON, Wis. (WMTV) - Middleton-Cross Plains School District’s Board of Education has unanimously voted to hold all classes online when the 2020-21 school year begins, due to COVID-19 concerns.

The school year is still slated to begin on Sept. 8. The Board said during their online meeting that classes may adopt an online/in-person hybrid model if Public Health Madison & Dane County decides to move the county into Phase 3 of the reopening plan. That will only happen if the number of new COVID-19 cases plateau in the county.

MCPASD had prepared three models the school district could adopt: all-virtual learning, all in-person learning and a hybrid-blended model.

The decision from the Middleton-Cross Plains School District comes days after the Madison Metropolitan School District voted to move all classes online, at least until the coronavirus pandemic is under control.

The Board is also set to discuss the future of School Resource Officers in the school district during Monday’s meeting. NBC15 News will provide those updates when they are available.

The school district surveyed families in late April and early May about the virtual learning experience. About 55-68 percent of respondents said they thought it was going well. The district also surveyed staff twice. Based on feedback from families and staff some of the improvements the Districts plans to make include:

· More instruction and learning of new content

· More face-to-face time between staff and students

· Differentiated learning opportunities for students

· More supports in place to improve student participation and learning

· Consistent experience within and across schools for all students

· More student and family engagement, relationship-building, and explicit instruction on virtual tools and platform use.

· More student and family engagement, relationship-building, and explicit instruction on virtual tools and platform use.

Sept. 1-4 will be reserved for teacher planning and preparation, provide students with instructions and training for the learning platforms being used and to make sure any students who haven’t already accessed devices have them or to work with families on internet access, according to a news release. Students will begin instruction on Monday, Sept. 8.

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