The Bismarck Public School Board met to discuss the results of the recent survey they sent out to parents, staff and community members.
Almost 47 percent of parents say they would be comfortable, without a doubt, sending their kids back to school, while 60 percent of staff say they are OK going back to work but with precaution.
The availability of sanitizer was a main priority for parents, while for staff it was an illness policy.
Other things taken into consideration were transportation, extracurricular activities and visitors inside schools.
“One of the pieces that’s very difficult to manage right now is the communication process with 13,500 kids and their families. 2,000 employees and a community and what this looks like. And how do you engage everybody in a process so everybody feels like they were a part of it,” shared Dr. Jason Hornbacher, the Superintendent for BPS.
Moving forward, the school board is looking at occupancy levels, the age of children and the ability to establish quality education.
They will be offering different options for students like face to face instruction, hybrid, blended, online and a distance learning model.
In the coming weeks, the board will also be looking for additional feedback from staff and administrators to solidify the models.
“And engaging them in the process of what is education in a blended learning environment look like? What does a hybrid sound like, look like, feel like? How do you bring continuity between a third-grade teacher teaching at Highland Acres and one teaching at Solheim so that it’s a similar experience?” explained Dr. Hornbacher.
They hope to have a comprehensive plan by July 30 to present to the public.
To see the full set of results, CLICK HERE.
