During its regular meeting held Tuesday, December 8, 2020, the Aiken County Board of Education voted to extend the school district’s current operations in the Hybrid Model of instruction through January 15, 2021. The school board also voted to continue current District operations related to interscholastic athletics.
The school district’s Hybrid Model of instruction includes middle and high school students attending in-person classes two days each week in Blue and Red cohorts, with three days of remote learning. Elementary school students in the Hybrid Model attend four days of in-person classes with remote learning on Fridays.
“Everyone wants our students to be in school five days a week and that includes our nine board members,” stated Aiken County Superintendent King Laurence. “I believe we all agree that having students attend in-person instruction five days a week is in the best interests of everyone, but we have to do it safely.”
A number of parents, a student and teacher expressed their thoughts on instructional models during the public participation portion of Tuesday’s meeting.
“I appreciated the parents, student, and teacher we heard from Tuesday and value their input,” commented Superintendent Laurence. “It’s very important to listen to our stakeholders regularly and have them express their thoughts and opinions. We have to work together with respect and consideration for everyone involved and I believe that’s what we are continuing to do.”
The board’s decision Tuesday followed a recommendation by the District’s Back-to-School Advisory Committee to continue in the Hybrid Model following the upcoming winter break which begins December 21, 2020. The board’s decision on school athletics followed a recommendation by Aiken County Superintendent King Laurence.
The school board also approved a recommendation from Superintendent Laurence for a tiered threshold system allowing the superintendent to move individual schools into and out of instructional models on a school-by-school basis and school-specific positive Covid case numbers and student and employee quarantines. This new system will replace the previous practice of moving schools between instructional models on a District-wide level.
In other business, the board approved a community donation of $1,800 from the Aiken County Association for Special Citizens to North Augusta High School to purchase equipment and supplies for the school’s Adaptive Physical Education Program, as well as a donation of $2,000 from Everett Chandler and Chandler Law Firm to A.L. Corbett Middle School to purchase athletic shoes for the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams. Additionally, the school board approved the issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase and install, and acquire technical support to upgrade the board room’s audio-visual system to improve live broadcasts of school board meetings.
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: 2020 PR HYBRID MODEL EXTENDED