Loveland, Ohio – At a Special Meeting on Wednesday, July 15, with a unanimous vote, the Loveland Board of Education approved a reopening plan for the Loveland City School District for the 2020-2021 school year. Dr. Eric Schwetschenau moved to adopt the plan, and it was seconded by Eileen Washburn. Schwetschenau, Washburn, Board President Kathryn Lorenz, Vice President Michele Pettit, and Kevin Dougherty voted, “Yes”.
Preschool, kindergarten, and 1st through 12th grades will attend 5 days per week at “full capacity” (no “all-day” kindergarten) with the option of choosing to attend school online.
The first day of instruction for all students is Wednesday, August 26.
High school student arrival time will be 30 minutes later this Fall. Bus guidelines for COVID 19 protection have not been finalized. The District is waiting for State guidelines to be released.
Parents can make a choice each semester about their child attending the “in-person model” or remote learning.
A press release issued by the District said that parents will also have a “full” remote learning option for their children.
Here is the DOCUMENT the Board reviewed while making their decision. You can look in particular at Scenario I the re-opening model chosen by the Board. Under the headline “Impact on students” the first bullet point says, “High-risk of exposure for students and staff; increased ability to meet academic and social-emotional needs.”
You can also watch the meeting HERE on YouTube.
There was no “Hearing of the Public” at the meeting.
Additional details of Loveland’s 2020-2021 Reopening Plan is expected to be released next week.
Parent Q & A sessions are being planned for July 27, 29, and 30.
Parents will be required to select either the in-person or remote learning model for the first semester. Each semester thereafter, parents can re-evaluate and choose a different option. The deadline for selection is Sunday, August 2.
Below is the resolution passed by the Board. Exhibit A referenced in the document was not available to the Board or public when the Board approved the Resolution to re-open the schools.
Jul 15, 2020 – Board Special Meeting
________________moved, seconded by ____________________ to approve a resolution adopting the 2020-2021 Academic Plans and Options Program for the Reopening of the Loveland City School District and granting the Superintendent authority relate thereto.
WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death and can easily spread from person to person between individuals who are in close contact with each other (within about 6 feet) or through the touching of a surface that has the virus on it then touching one’s own mouth, nose or eyes; and
WHEREAS, the Governor and the 133rd General Assembly of the Ohio Legislature have declared a state of emergency with respect to the spread of the novel coronavirus; and,
WHEREAS, during the 2019-2020 school year, the Ohio Department of Health ordered that all K-12 schools be closed to students but it is anticipated that schools will be permitted to reopen for the 2020-2021 school year; and
WHEREAS, boards of education in Ohio have been given substantial authority to revise their methods of instruction for the 2020-2021 school year to adopt to the pandemic.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the Loveland City School District, Hamilton County, Ohio as follows:
SECTION I
The Board hereby authorizes and adopts the attached Academic Plans and Options Proposal identified as Exhibit A (to reflect the discussion under item 2.1) to provide for the learning opportunities either in-person, remote, or a combination in accordance with the authority granted by Am. Sub. H.B. 164 and blended learning opportunities authorized by R.C. 3302.41. The Superintendent is hereby authorized to take any and all actions necessary to implement the attached Academic Plans and Options Proposal. In addition, given the uncertain nature of the pandemic, the Superintendent shall be authorized to revise the Academic Plans and Options Proposal as necessary during the 2020-2021 school year so long as such revisions are not inconsistent with Ohio law, state and local health department orders, and orders of the Governor, and so long as the Superintendent updates this Board on any such revisions at the Board’s next public meeting after such revisions are made.
SECTION II
This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and immediately after its adoption and shall supersede and replace any prior resolution or act of this Board of Education that may be inconsistent or duplicative with the provisions of this Resolution.
SECTION III
The Board of Education hereby finds and determines that all formal actions relative to the adoption of this Resolution were taken in an open meeting of this Board of Education, and that all deliberations of this Board of Education and of its committees, if any, which resulted in formal action, were taken in meetings open to the public, in full compliance with applicable legal requirements, including Section 121.22, ORC.
ROLL CALL VOTE:
____ Ms. Pettit
____ Dr. Schwetschenau
____ Mrs. Washburn
____ Mr. Dougherty
____ Dr. Lorenz
