Discussion of the District’s “Return to Learn” plan and how to make up for lost instruction next fall was had at the recent Guthrie Center School Board meeting.

Superintendent Dennis McClain updated the Board that although the state has waived a requirement to start no earlier than August 24th, school districts would then have to add days to their calendar for starting early. Board President Wes Policky voiced concerns of the semester-equivalent classes lost this year as the District sent students home before the end of the third quarter. Policky proposed an idea of starting next school year on August 1st, for teachers to make up for some of the lessons missed this spring, “I don’t want to say kids are going to get behind, right? I don’t think kids are necessarily behind, but some of them might be, some of them might not get to take the opportune classes because they’re making up for the fourth quarter. It doesn’t have to be every year that we do this obviously, but this is pretty, obviously, it’s unknown, but it could be a part of our plan.”

Policky added his suggestion may become a moot point if the state requires districts to continue virtual learning in the fall. High School Principal Garold Thomas brought up an issue of how starting early would conflict with teachers contracted days. McClain says the administrative team has had lengthy discussions of how to approach next year in a way that most benefits students, such as “pre-testing” elementary students to see where their comprehension levels are at. Policky directed McClain to investigate the possibility of starting the 2020-2021 year sooner.