Safety protocols, ‘blended learning’ main topics for Cd’A School Board

COEUR d’ALENE — This fall will introduce a school year unlike any of its predecessors.

The Coeur d'Alene School Board met on Monday and discussed what going back could look like and how a proposed "blended learning" option offers a middle ground between in-person learning and completely remote instruction.

"As soon as remote learning ended at the end of May, we really pivoted to looking toward next school year and started looking at different options," said Seth Deniston, Coeur d'Alene School District's director of technology.

With minimal preparation when schools abruptly closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, Deniston said, "We were just using resources that were already there."

“When we talk about remote learning in the spring, that really was emergency learning, created on the fly,” he said. "When we look at that, I want to really distinguish that as remote learning."

Blended learning, on the other hand, is a hybrid of distance and in-person education that is intentional and built on a consistent framework.

“There’s opportunity for personalization, differentiation and it’s definitely going to look a little bit different," Deniston said. "If we have to do blended learning it will look different than face-to-face learning."

The recently formed Coeur d'Alene School District Blended Learning Committee comprises 25 members including administrators from each level, teachers across the district, parents, board members, tech staff, counselors and other support staff. They have met three times so far to review survey data and provide feedback. Deniston said plans are in the works for professional development sessions in August.

District officials expect to send out a survey later this week after they receive new state guidelines from the Idaho State Board of Education. The survey will gauge sentiments among Coeur d'Alene's families regarding back-to-school protocols.

"The state is going to make recommendations. They’re not going to mandate, in all likelihood, and so without mandates, that means it falls on this leadership and the administration to make those decisions on what’s going to happen,” said Vice Chair Jen Brumley. "I feel like parents need to understand that because a letter went out saying that at this time, we’re not inclined to use face masks, parents who are opposed to face masks shouldn’t sit back and not respond. Parents who are adamant about face masks need to continue to make their opinions known. Same with in-person learning vs. remote learning."

Brumley said if the district doesn't have enough data, she fears the board will make a decision “that will have a massive backlash because people didn’t tell us how they felt and what they wanted.”

“So I want to hear from you parents, please," she said.

Superintendent Steve Cook said while face-to-face learning is the district's primary goal and responsibility, protecting everyone is also a main priority.

"We have to keep people safe as well, and currently, with guidelines that exist, those two things combat," he said. "So we have to have a plan.”