School Re-Opening Updates by School District: KC’s 2020-2021 Year Plans

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With everything up in the air for the upcoming school year, it can be comforting to know the plan for your district.

So, we gathered the most recent information from each district for parents to easily find.

If you’re looking for updates on your child’s school district, you can find all info below!

We’ve separated the information by individual school districts, so you can easily find your child’s school. Some schools have finalized their plans, while others are waiting on additional info or guidance.

** While we are working to keep the info as updated as possible, the nature of the situation makes it hard. Contact your local district directly if you have additional questions.

If you’re looking for Tutoring Services to supplement school till it starts or help give your child a boost, there’s great options around town.

Kansas School District Reopening Plans:

Blue Valley School District

The Blue Valley District has released an official plan for 2020 that includes 2 options, in-person learning or all virtual. Each student is eligible for both options, but parents must choose one.

Grading and attendance will be monitored as normal. The district is also working on distance learning modifications, which there will be more information about as the start date gets closer.

There is no additional cost for virtual learning and each student will receive a computer to complete their classes and coursework.

DeSoto Unified School District

Enrollment has been delayed and families will receive direct notifications once new enrollment dates are confirmed. The first day of school will be August 12th. The current plan is in-person schooling with a distance learning option for families uncomfortable with in-person. While this plan has not been finalized, they will be announcing the final options at the end of the month.

DeSoto district stresses that the virtual program will be much more robust than the Spring’s Continuous Learning Plan. It will include direct teacher instruction, formal grading & accountability.

The district is planning for each possible scenario, so you can rest assured they are as prepared as possible. Stay updated online!

Gardner School District

Schools will reopen for traditional classes on August 12th or 13th, depending on your child’s grade. (12th for K-9th grade & 13th from 10th-12th graders).

The buses will be operating as normal if your child is in need of transportation. They have not provided specifics as to how the learning environment will look different this year.

Find all the Back to School details & check back for updates!

Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools

** The district shifted their plans with the governor’s new announcement.

KCKPS plans to return to school with virtual learning after Labor Day. In-person classes will NOT take place for the first 9 weeks of the school year (the first quarter).

Find answers to your frequently asked questions online, as well as survey responses from KCKPS parents.

Leavenworth School District

The district is postponing the start of the school year until September due to the mandate from KS Governor. While there aren’t any additional details available now, the district will provide further updates on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

You can find updates in their News Section.

Louisburg

** The site has NOT been updated since Governor Kelly announced schools must postpone classes until Labor Day. There are no updates on virtual learning options for the coming school year. You can find more information on the Parents Resource page or school website.

In-person classes will begin on August 18th from grades K-12. Preschool will begin the following day. Online enrollment begins August 3rd.

Olathe School District

In-person class were scheduled resume on Thursday, August 13th and Friday, August 14th according to Superintendent John Allison. However, due to the mandate from Governor Kelly, they have held off on announcing their formal reopening plans.

When enrolling students for the 2020-2021 school year, parents will select in-person or remote classes. If you choose the remote learning option, the district makes it clear the program will be much more detailed than the continuous learning program enacted at the end of the 2019-2020 year.

There are not currently specifics on how the district will modify classrooms and school procedures, but you can follow the districts website for the Latest News & Updates!

Shawnee School District

According to the website, “With the announcement by Governor Laura Kelly that school buildings in Kansas are closed for the remainder of the school year, we have to plan for how to adapt to this new reality. Learning will continue, with a shift to digital solutions and other strategies that will be shared through different platforms and updates.”

The last day of the school year will remain the same.

There are separate reopening plans for elementary, middle school & high school students. Check the specifics for each draft, but keep in mind these are only drafts. Final plans will be announced soon.

Because their original distance learning program had some issues, the district is also investing in upgrading their virtual learning software. This addresses multiple “what if” scenarios.

Find Shawnee School updates online.

Missouri School Districts:

Blue Springs

In-person classes will be offered for the 2020-2021 school year, which includes increases in cleaning and following mandates. If mandates are not released, the districts plans include:

• Hand washing & hygience enforcement
• Requiring masks when students move through the school & on buses. This includes passing classes, bathroom breaks & arrival/dismisal.
• Maks will be optional while children are in designated classrooms
• Daily wellness checks
• Cancelled all large gatherings
• No visitors (this includes during lunch)
• Recess will continue, but equipment may be restricted.

Students will be able to opt out of in-person classes if they desire. If families choose the remote option, a device will be provided to grades 4 through 12. Courses will blend teacher-led instruction and independent work.

Any student who choose online learning can participate in extra-curricular activities, unless The Missouri State High School Activities Association releases other guidance.

The district would like parents to keep in mind, “that mandated social distancing restrictions may not allow for our district to host school Monday-Friday for every student. Our buildings were not designed to hold 20-30 students in a classroom seated six feet apart. If social distancing is mandated and over 70% of our student population opts to return to In-Person School, we will be forced to look at alternate plans that allow for fewer students in the building each day.”

Grain Valley School District

The first day of school will be August 24th for all students, with the district committed to providing in-person classes for their students. While they have not released a finalized plan, you can find the draft here.

Follow along with 2020-2021 updates on the district site. 

Grandview School District

In-person classes will NOT resume this Fall and will be replaced with a full distance learning option. There are not many updates available on the website for the 2020-2021 school year, but online registration has already started.

The first day of school will be August 24th. Stay updated with their News Section.

Harrisonville School District

Currently, the district is finalizing their plan for reopening. They will go over the recommendations at the July 28th board meeting and make a final decision after.

Find updates on the current situation from the district.

Hickman Mills School District

** There have been no updates on the district’s site since the Governor’s announcement.

School begins August 24th. The Hickman Mills task force will complete the reopening plan by mid-July and announce on their website. They ask you keep in mind that the plan is fluid and contingent on the current guidelines set forth. It can change at any time. You can find the tentative Return to Learn Plan online.

Follow recent announcements to stay up to date.

Independence School District

** No new updates since July 8th.

In-person and online options will both be available this year. Bus transportation will be provided, but it will be an “opt-in” system. You will have to notify the district you would like bus services.

You can find the safety procedures detailed out online. This is one of the few districts that will also allow you to switch to in-person classes once the semester is underway. The district does warn that if you choose virtual then change your mind, your child’s assigned school may be at capacity. This will cause your child to be placed at a different school in the district.

If you choose the virtual option, your children will still be eligible for electives, such as music & art class. According to the Independence District, “We will offer specials virtually. We are currently working with the Department of Elementary Education on how these will be delivered. We know some classes will not consist of a live teacher component but rather pre-recorded lessons.”

** They will NOT be eligible to participate in activities and athletics.

To prepare for scenarios where schools close again, “All students, both in-person and virtual will utilize the Canvas platform. In-person classes will be seamlessly integrated to utilize the online platform to support any need for temporary school closures. This planning will allow us to transition to virtual learning immediately to allow for the continuation of learning. The ISD will assign a Chromebook for each student to support this. Chromebook assignments and additional information will be shared closer to the start of the regular school year.”

Explore their FAQ online that answers most questions you have.

Kansas City Public Schools

** They recently announced that with the new guidance, they will be moving away from in-person classes at the start of the semester. Check back at the dedicated web page for the most recent updates.

KC Public Schools have not announce a formal reopening plan for the upcoming school year. You can stay updated with their dedicated web page and News section.

According to Dr. Lateshia Woodley of KCPS, the district has been, “going over every indicator, looking at how can we be as equitable as we can and our approach to supporting our students and families during this time. So this is a very difficult decision for our school board and our superintendent to make right now because we’re not going to be able to make 100 percent of people happy.”

Lee’s Summit School District

** School start has been pushed back to September 8th at least. The school board does not want to send students back to school full time until the virus is over. Virtual school is the main option right now.

Families will have a choice between a fully online learning option and traditional in-person classes. Online registration will open Wednesday, July 29th. You must register by August 19th if you plan on using district transportation.

The finalized plan on updates and changes has not been released yet. However, you can find updates on the current environment using the district website. According to the district, “On July 17, 2020, we will be providing additional information about our plan to reopen schools safely, as well as the learning options we will be providing to families.”

You can also find reopening plans & updates on this page.

Liberty School District

** No new updates since Governor’s announcement.

Liberty students will choose between face-to-face learning or virtual programs. August 25th will be the first day of school.

Specifics about each option and reopening protocols are being sent to families on the school’s email roster so they can make informed decisions. We cannot find many details online currently. As updates are released by the Clay County Public Health Center, LPS will continue to update their documentation, procedures & guidelines.

You can explore their current Procedures & Guidelines, which include:

• Buses will allow 1 rider per seat bench
• 50% capacity limits until further notice
• Recommendation of masks for students
• Requiring staff & teachers to wear masks in group settings
• Strongly encouraging hand washing & bringing your own water bottle
• Sanitize high-traffic areas during the day

You can find more details about their Reopening Plan on the website.

North Kansas City School District

** There will be additional updates and announcements made after the upcoming board meeting.

This district will be conducting in-person learning this fall and including new procedures to keep your children safe. These will include:

• Staggering schedules
• Limited recess groups
• Reduced cafeteria capacity
• Staff required to wear masks most of school day
• Limiting use of community equipment

Explore NKC School District’s Formal Reopening Plan to learn more. If you don’t feel comfortable sending your child to school, You MUST contact the district by July 31st to discuss alternative options.

If guidance is released to reduce the capacity of schools, there will be an alternate schedule released where children do not go to school each day. This will ONLY be if capacity limits are recommended by officials.

Parkville School District

** Both options (in-person & distance learning) are both listed on the website, but there is a disclaimer that the plans are likely to be updated/changed in the coming weeks.

Students in this district will return to in-person classes this Fall, but there will be extra precautions and modifications made.

If your family would like to remain at home, there will also be a Park Hill Online option available. This is completely online and will include direct instruction from teachers in combination with self-guided work. Student will be able to have virtual meetings in groups or one-on-one.

** Consider if you choose this option, students must finish out the first semester online. They cannot switch to in-person.

You can find the specific Health & Safety precautions on the school’s website, which include:

• Promoting physical distance
• Requiring masks
• Increasing cleaning schedules & supplying hand sanitizer in every room.
• Staggering the use of common spaces
• Changing the arrival & dismissal process
• No visitors except workers
• Eliminating self-service food in the cafeteria
• Promoting use of water bottles & refilling stations instead of water fountains
• No assemblies

If we are required to go back to distance learning again, it would look similar to 4th quarter.

Be aware of the most recent updates with Parkville News.

Ray-Pec School District

** According to the district, “Students in grades K-5 will attend school five days per week. Students in grades 6-12 will follow an alternative schedule, which will allow for fewer students in the high school and middle schools each day.”

During registration, families will choose between a partial in-person experience or 100% virtual learning experience. The in-person option will provide reduced risk through increased precautions and cleaning procedures.

• Staggering recess times with physical distancing
• Disinfecting common touched equipment
• Breakfast & lunch eaten in classrooms when possible
• Using face coverings when moving around the school – arrival/dismissal, bathroom breaks & passing in the hall. (Optional in the classroom)
• Requiring face masks on buses

Find more about their safety protocols online.

The district would like to make clear that the virtual learning option for the 2020-2021 school year will be updated form the Spring semester program. You can find more info about the Virtual Instruction Program of Ray-Pec online.

According to the district, “key elements are daily online instruction by Ray-Pec certified teachers, follows regular Ray-Pec curriculum, live instruction with online activities and independent work, still eligible for MSHSAA sports and activities, still eligible for free/reduced price meals & students will be given feed back through the A-F grading system (6-12 graders) or the standards-based grading system (K-5th grade).

Raytown School District

There will be 2 options offered – in-person traditional schooling or virtual learning.

The virtual learning option is a combination of teacher-led and independent work. All learning will take place on educational platforms. The teacher-led portion will follow this schedule (subject to change):

• Pre-K-Kindergarten, 45 minutes*
• Grades 1-5, 60 minutes*
• Grades 6-8, 2 hours*
• Grades 9-12, 3 hours*

Traditional schooling will follow fluid requirements based on the city & county regulations put forth. If restrictions are not defined, the district will carry out the following precautions:

• Hand sanitizer available
• Daily wellness checks
• Face coverings when moving through the school (optional in classrooms)
• Social distancing – when possible
• No gatherings, No visitors
• Modified equipment play
• Masks mandatory on buses

According to the district, they would like you to, “keep in mind that mandated social distancing restrictions may not allow for our district to host school Monday-Friday for every student. Our buildings were not designed to hold 20-30 students in a classroom seated six feet apart. If social distancing is mandated and over 70% of our student population opts to return to In-Person School, we will be forced to look at alternate plans that allow for fewer students in the building each day.”

You can stay updated on this districts info online!

No matter which school district your family is in or what option you choose, we hope your family stays healthy and finds a suitable option!

If you have questions about any districts’ policies, we encourage you to reach out directly to administrators. Information is changing rapidly, so they are the best source for current info.

From our family to yours, iFamilyKC