The Panorama School Board expects to make a decision next week on how exactly the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year will look amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board has narrowed down their possibilities to three considerations: full attendance with online options, a hybrid plan, and remote learning. Superintendent Shawn Holloway says an online survey has been sent to District staff and parents to gauge their thoughts on how to return to learn, “Within the survey I would say what we’re essentially trying to find out is comfort level coming back, comfort level coming back with everybody, coming back with masks or without masks. We’re really just trying to get the Board some information, some data to use to help make their decision.”

On Monday, July 27th the Board plans to meet to determine which model of learning to start the school year, and staff will share mitigation and health and safety strategies that will be implemented as part of what Holloway calls their “new normal.” The Board’s decision will also likely be affected by a new proclamation Governor Kim Reynolds signed last week, which states that a school district must be given the Iowa Department of Education’s approval before temporarily moving to primarily remote learning.