ARLINGTON, Texas — Parents woke up Friday morning with a lot of questions, after the Arlington school board approved a plan to phase students back into the classroom overnight.
The Arlington Schools Board of Trustees approved Sept. 28th as the in-person start date in a meeting that stretched over seven hours and concluded around 2:30 a.m. Friday.
Parents reacted on social media later in the morning, unclear about what the plan means.
Here’s how a district spokesperson broke it down.
Arlington ISD will start an optional hybrid learning system on Sept. 28. Students will be broken into groups alphabetically by last name. Those groups will alternate days of the week learning from home and learning in the classroom.
Students and staff will have to wear masks in grades 1 through 12, wash their hands frequently and practice social distancing in Arlington ISD facilities.
The board will decide if masks will be mandatory for pre-K and kindergarten classes at a later time.
Arlington ISD will continue this plan at least through Oct. 9, at which point the district will reassess.
After the hybrid phase, elementary and middle schools will offer daily in-person instruction for parents who are interested in sending their kids to the classroom every day.
High school students will continue the hybrid model until further notice.
Parents who don’t want to send their kids into the classroom at all can opt for virtual learning for the rest of the year. This applies to all Arlington ISD students.
Arlington ISD parents should soon receive a new survey, where they can choose in-person learning or continue with virtual learning.