Changes are coming to South Washington County Schools as students will return to school in the hybrid learning model starting Feb. 16 with grades 11-12.

Grades 9-10 will return to the hybrid learning model on Monday, March 1. Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA with their same schedule.

Due to the importance of graduation and preparing for college and career, grades 11 and 12 were selected as the next group of students to return to the classroom. Additionally, the hybrid learning model will allow us to bring more students back to school sooner for additional support, reduce the potential for large-scale quarantines and provide at least three feet of space between students in the classroom. As a reminder, the hybrid learning model is how the school year began with a combination of in-person learning at school and distance learning at home on alternating days.

Hybrid Weekly Schedule (8:25 a.m. to 1:35 p.m.) Teacher virtual office hours (2:45-3:30 p.m.) To review the hybrid learning model and to view the A/B schedule, please visit sowashco.org/hybrid.

A Day: Student Group A attends school in-person. Student Group B learns at home through distance learning.

B Day: Student Group B attends school in-person. Student Group A learns at home through distance learning.

Flexible Instruction Day – All students will learn through one, or more, of the following ways: Additional in-person learning opportunities (exams, labs, individual and small group learning) Additional distance learning opportunities (either real- time learning or remote learning) Advisory class To see how a hybrid school day will look for students, visit sowashco.org/hybrid for the daily schedule.

View the latest calendar updates for the hybrid learning model at sowascho.org/calendar.

Please note that shortened school weeks, due to nonschool days, may change the days in which students attend school in-person or participate in learning at home during a flexible instruction day.

New Calendar and Schedule Updates For the latest calendar updates for all grade levels, visit

sowashco.org/calendar.

Feb. 12 – No School (Grades 6-12): Staff planning day (No school for Virtual Learning Academy students in grade 6-12) Feb. 16 – Grades 11-12 return to the hybrid learning model

March 1 – Grades 9-10 return to the hybrid learning model Students will learn at home on flexible instruction days that are typically on Fridays except Feb. 19, March 19 and April 30 As we transition students back to hybrid learning, we will take a targeted approach to keep students in school. This means if a classroom is exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19, the class would shift to distance learning during the 14-day quarantine period and the school would remain in session as usual. We ask that families be prepared for the possibility that their child’s class could move to distance learning at any time.

The focus now is to ensure students thrive at school through relationships, connections and social-emotional support. Our goal is to return all high school students to full in-person learning four days a week in late March, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and other factors. I want to thank you for your patience and support.

All Middle School Students to Return in Hybrid Learning Model on Feb. 16 The district has heard from many middle school families about the importance of returning all middle schoolers to school as soon as possible. As a result, it has adjusted its original plan that was shared last week in which all sixth grade students would be returning to full in-person learning.

Instead, all middle school students (6-8) currently in distance learning for trimester two will return to school in a hybrid learning model starting Tuesday, Feb. 16. Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA with their same schedule.

This change will allow the district to bring more students back to school sooner for additional support, reduce the potential for large-scale quarantines and provide at least three feet of space between students in the classroom. As a reminder, the hybrid learning model is how the school year began with a combination of in-person learning at school and distance learning at home on alternating days.

Hybrid Weekly Schedule (8 a.m. to 12:55 p.m.) To review the hybrid learning model and to view the A/B schedule, please visit sowashco.org/hybrid.

A Day: Student Group A attends school in-person. Student Group B learns at home through distance learning.

B Day: Student Group B attends school in-person. Student Group A learns at home through distance learning.

Flexible Instruction Day (8:30 to 11:45 a.m.) – All students will learn through one, or more, of the following ways: Additional in-person learning opportunities (exams, labs, individual and small group learning) Additional distance learning opportunities (either real- time learning or remote learning) Advisory class To see how a hybrid school day will look for students, visit sowashco.org/hybrid for the daily schedule.

Please note that school day schedules will change on Feb. 16 for the Virtual Learning Academy (6-8).

View the latest calendar updates for the hybrid learning model at sowascho.org/calendar.

A statement from the district reads: “As we transition students back to hybrid learning, we will take a targeted approach to keep students in school. This means if a classroom is exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19, the class would shift to distance learning during the 14-day quarantine period and the school would remain in session as usual. We ask that families be prepared for the possibility that their child’s class could move to distance learning at any time.

“The focus now is to ensure students thrive at school through relationships, connections and social-emotional support. Our goal is to return all middle school students to full in-person learning four days a week in March, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and other factors.”