Bowling Green city schools students will return to school in August, with safety measures in place

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Bowling Green City Schools plan for employees and students to return to school in August 2020, with a modified schedule for reopening, as well as online course options through the BGISD Virtual Academy. The Bowling Green Board of Education will consider the plan for final approval July 13.

The draft plan includes the first 10 school days with one half of BGISD students attending school Monday through Thursday, and Non-Traditional Instructional Days (NTI) held on Fridays. One half of students, the Purple Schedule will begin on Aug. 10 and attend on Monday and Wednesday, the weeks of Aug. 10 and 17. The remaining half of students, the Gold Schedule, will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 11, and attend Tuesday and Thursday for the first two weeks. Friday NTI Days will be utilized by employees to evaluate and modify procedures as needed.

The district plans to open for all students in-person, full-time Aug. 24.

Opening at half capacity for the first 10 days of school will allow:

• In-person instruction;
• Adjustment to new procedures for both students and employees;
• Opportunities to evaluate and modify procedures;
• Social distancing in classrooms;
• Chromebooks issued to students in grades 4-12.

Modifications to daily procedures in Bowling Green City Schools will follow Kentucky’s Healthy at School guidelines:

• Temperature checks will be required upon entry for all employees and students;
• Facial masks/coverings will be worn at school while moving and when not six feet away from others;
• Breakfast and lunch will include grab and go options and plans for social distancing while eating;
• Elementary school recess will include procedures for sanitizing hands and cleaning equipment;
• There will be no assemblies or large gatherings of students or employees;
• Music/performing arts classes will be modified according to guidance provided by the Kentucky Music Educators Association;
• And finally, until further notice, only employees and students will be permitted to enter school buildings.

School buses and all Family Resource and Youth Services Centers will be supplied with extra masks for students. Schools and teachers will work to find opportunities for students to safely have mask breaks throughout the day.

The Bowling Green City School District understands that parents and guardians may choose for their child or children to participate in an online learning option instead of returning to school in person. To accommodate this request, the BGISD Virtual Learning Academy will provide daily online meetings and classroom assignments delivered through a learning management system. The district’s goal is to provide equitable instruction to students both at home and in school, and the level of expectation and accountability will resemble that of the traditional classroom.

Families and students choosing to participate in the BGISD Virtual Academy must have a reliable device such as Chromebook, laptop, or desktop computer. Cell phones will not be appropriate for submitting work. The district will assist in checking out a device if needed. Also, to enroll, families must have access to high-quality internet, including the ability to stream videos and participate in video conferencing.

Students receiving special education services who choose to participate in the Virtual Academy will be provided appropriate accommodations/modifications by a district special education teacher to the online content. If the student also receives related services such as speech therapy, physical therapy or occupational therapy, parents will be contacted to develop a plan to schedule those services. All students in the Virtual Academy may also receive support from the district’s student and family counselors, available through Telehealth. Families participating in the virtual option will have the ability to pick up meals for their children once per week.

Online Registration will open Friday for parents to complete most back-to-school paperwork, as well as indicate plans to return to school either in-person or through the BGISD Virtual Academy.

Schools are still working to finalize class rosters, school supply lists, and various back-to-school activities. As plans and procedures are modified, information will be updated on the district website, and shared through the One Call Notification system, and district social media channels.