Page 11 - The Wayne Dispatch

Moving ahead one step at a time

By Carolyn Marnon spoke declared their preference for There were pleas by multiple par- learn better in an online over a class-
Virtual learning will continue staying virtual. One student said that ents of children with learning prob- room setting. It is a completely sep-
through the end of the first semester students have gotten used to the lems to allow students back in the arate program from the current
in the Wayne Westland Community schedule and have been able to work schools. Several comments were virtual learning. To learn more, visit
School District. That decision was their other activities around online made about children being de- https://www.wwcsd.net/.
unanimously approved at the Octo- learning. pressed and having anxiety by not In the month of October, starting
ber 29 School Board meeting held Several parents are frontline or being in school with friends. Other October 10, there have been 3 posi-
online via Zoom after listening to essential workers who are in envi- comments revolved around students tive COVID cases (two at Schweitzer
comments from the online audience ronments everyday where they see being distracted and not able to con- Elementary and one at Stevenson
for almost 90 minutes. what is happening with the COVID- centrate at the computer. Middle School). Twelve people have
The school board was presented 19 virus. These parents want to keep Lisa Marie Bailey, whose 3 year been quarantined in that period -
with two options. The first option their children out of harm’s way. An- old autistic child is in a program at students or staff. Previous to that,
was to have students return to other parent was concerned about Stottlemyer made the plea “Bright since school started, 3 positive cases
school under the Hybrid plan where the ventilation system and air quality futures start here. Please don’t let had been reported along with 37
they would attend school 2 days per at her child’s school while also men- COVID dim her light” while rallying quarantines. You can stay up-to-date
week and do online learning on the tioning that daily COVID-19 cases for an in-person return to education. with these figures at the COVID-19
other days. Half the students would are higher now than when students For now, students will continue Dashboard on the district’s website.
attend school in-person on Tuesday started attending school virtually in learning via their virtual classroom. “We’re trying to base every single
and Thursday while the other half August. Several parents spoke about For anyone who wants to sign up decision on what’s best for our kids,”
would attend in-person on Wednes- how no cases have been reported in for the district’s online program, Ed- said WWCSD Superintendent John
day and Friday. The second option Canton or Livonia schools where stu- genuity, sign-ups will begin Novem- Dignan during a Return to Learn
had all students continuing to learn dents attend in person. No cases ber 2 and run through December 2. presentation online. “Great futures
virtually through the end of the first through the afterschool program – Under this learning program, stu- start right here, and we’re going to
semester. The second semester will Champions - were said to be re- dents would have to stay with the start another chapter of that here in
start January 19. ported either. Parents send their chil- program the entire semester until the next few weeks.” In his final com-
Members of the community, par- dren to daycare where there seem to the end of the school year in June. ments at the board meeting, Supt.
ents, students and staff were able to be no problem. Why not return stu- This is a special online learning pro- Dignan said, “We’re going to move
comment before the board made dents to in-person learning? they gram that was created before the forward as one school system and
their decision. All students who ask. pandemic for students who would one heartbeat.”

The Wayne Dispatch · November 2020 · 11