Hyde Park Schools Begin School Year Remotely, Plan to Return to Classroom After Labor Day

WEST AUSTIN NEWS AUGUST 27, 2020 Hyde Park Schools begin school year remotely, plan to return to classroom after Labor Day

As summer draws to a close, all eyes have been on Austin schools as they navigate the options for returning to campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hyde Park Schools opted to begin the school year as previously scheduled on August 13, with all students learning remotely. After working throughout the summer to prepare for the options of both remote learning and in-person instruction, Hyde Park Elementary School Principal KimMarie Suhr reports that administrators and staff are ready for the year ahead. “We worked exhaustively this summer fine-tuning our remote learning plans and also developing comprehensive safety protocols and best practices for a safe return to the building ,” she said. “We are thrilled to be getting the school year underway.” Hyde Park’s Remote Learning this fall has students logging in to their classrooms at scheduled times during the day for live instruction from their teachers, who are teaching from their classrooms. Head of School Leanne Messer said, “It normalizes instruction to have the teachers physically present in their classroom and allows for a more structured and effective environment.” The school’s current plan is to provide an option to its families for in-person instruction after Labor Day, while continuing to offer a live remote option. Messer explained the school’s intentions with this blended model, “We recognize that everyone at this time has a unique situation. And it’s our desire to be respectful and responsive to the needs of our families and our community”. Hyde Park Spanish teacher Graciela Pohl teaches her students each day virtually from her high school classroom. As families weigh their school options, some parents are eagerly awaiting the return to campus. Hyde Park parent Chrissy Morris, whose son and daughter are students at Hyde Park High School and Elementary School, is happy to have an in-person offering for her kids. “We are choosing to send our children back to campus,” she said. “Coupling the measures taken by the school and the desperate need for socialization and peer interaction with other students, we are hopeful for a safe and somewhat normal semester.”

High School Spanish teacher Graciela Pohl answers questions from her students during her sophomore Spanish class. Hyde Park teachers are back in their classrooms, providing live instruction to students online. First grade teacher Joi Bell laughs with her students during her class’s morning meeting. 8 WEST AUSTIN NEWS - BACK TO SCHOOL August 27, 2020

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