GBAPS to start school year virtually

WE BEGIN WITHBREAKING NEWSTONIGHT...THE GREEN BAYAREA PUBLIC SCHOOLDISTRICT WILL STARTTHE SCHOOL YEARCOMPLETELYVIRTUALLY.THE ONLINE-ONLYPLAN PASSED LESSTHAN TWO HOURSAGO.NBC 26'S RACHELHOPMAYER HASDETAILS FROMTONIGHT'S BOARD OFEDUCATION VOTE.AFTER OVER THREEHOURS OFQUESTIONS,AMENDMENTS, ANDDISCUSSION -- THEGREEN BAY AREAPUBLIC SCHOOLDISTRICT'S BOARD OFEDUCATION PASSEDTHE MOTION TO STARTTHE 2020-2021SCHOOL YEARCOMPLETELY OFFSITEWITH VIRTUALINSTRUCTION BY 5-2.AYE...AYE...OK, MOTIONPASSES, 5-2.MULTIPLE BOARDMEMBERS VISITEDCHAPPELLELEMENTARY TODAYTO SEE A SIMULATEDSET UP OF WHAT THEBLENDED MODELWOULD LOOK LIKEUNDER THE CDC'SSOCIAL DISTANCINGGUIDELINES.IT'S NOT GOING TO BETHE SAME LEARNINGENVIRONMENT.

IT'SNOT STUDENTCENTERED, IT'S NOTSTUDENT FRIENDLY,IT'S NOT TRAUMAINFORMED, IT'S NOTEVERYTHING THAT ITHINK MAKES OURDISTRICT GREAT.A HEATED TOPIC INTONIGHT'S SPECIALMEETING WAS THEHFACT THAT IF EVERYENROLLED STUDENTRETURNED TO ABLENDED MODELTODAY, THE DISTRICTWOULD BE FORCEDTO HIRE HUNDREDSOF TEACHERS.WITH THEREQUIREMENTS THATTHEY'RE TALKINGABOUT, WITH THE SIXFEET OF SPACING?OUR GEOGRAPHYLIMITS US TO HOWMANY CHILDREN WE'DBE ABLE TO PUT IN THECLASSROOM.

AND IFWE HAVE TO FIND ASPACE FOR EVERYSINGLE ELEMENTARYCHILD, THEN THAT'SWHERE WE STRUGGLEWITH HAVING ENOUGHSTAFF.BOARD MEMBERSALSO NOTED THEWEIGHT THISDECISION HAS ON THECOMMUNITY'SLARGEST EMPLOYERSAND THAT THISDECISION AFFECTSMORE THAN JUSTGREEN BAY SCHOOLPARENTS.OUR DISTRICT CAN'TDO IT ALL.

WE CAN'TPROVIDE EVERYTHINGFOR EVERY BODY.

SOOUR TEACHERS AREAMAZING, AND OURSTAFF IS AMAZING, ITHINK WE CAN ALLAGREE ON THAT, BUTTHEY'RE HUMAN ANDWE'RE GONNA NEEDTHE ENTIRECOMMUNITY TO COMETOGETHER TO MAKE ITTHROUGH TO THE END.TAG OUTAS FOR THE GOALTO RETURN TO FULLYIN PERSONINSTRUCTION... THEMODEL IN PLACE WILLBE REVIEWEDWEEKLY USING WHATTHE BOARD CALLSGATING CRITERA:THAT'S WHERE THEPERCENT OF POSITIVETESTS RESULTS INBROWN COUNTY ISLESS THAN 5PERCENT FOR 14DAYS.THE SCHOOL YEARIS STILL SET TO STARTSEPTEMBER FIRST.