VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) -- The Vigo County School Corporation had to close abruptly a few months ago. Now, the school board is taking action. They're trying to fix some things they found out didn't work when remote learning started.
More than 200 people tuned in to the school board meeting Facebook live. That's as they made some big decisions for the next school year.
"The educational environment since really the start of March has been one of disruption and reaction," Dr. Rob Haworth, Superintendent for the Vigo County School Corporation said.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the Vigo County School Corporation did the best they could to keep their students and staff safe. But, they have noticed some flaws in the system. Now, they're working to figure out what is going to be best for the district moving forward
"We have moved some things forward that will allow us to be forward-thinking rather than in a reactionary mode," Haworth said.
Things like switching from trimesters to semesters.
"Given the learning loss over the summer and then magnify that May, April, and part of March. I think it provided the best opportunity for us to make that move," he said.
Working on getting high school students Chromebooks.
"Obviously, with what we've experienced this past spring and how we finished school, I believe our students would have been better served if they would have not just had remote learning packets, but if they would have also had technology in their hands."
Haworth said they are also setting up to get middle school students' Chromebooks in the future as well. These will be treated similarly to how textbooks are. Haworth said all high school students should have them by this fall.
Making sure they will be okay, financially, if property taxes don't come in like normal. The last meeting the board approved tax anticipation warrants. This time they approved applying for the Indiana Bond Bank's advance funding program. The corporation would only choose one of these options in the end. Whichever one served them best. Applying for both does not have a negative impact on the corporation.
"We want to keep both doors open so that we have more options to choose from," Haworth said.
The corporation also passed an emergency making policy. That means all employees, visitors, and students are required to wear a mask in any school or at school events That's when social distancing is not in place. That starts right now until at least July 30th.
As far as your students returning to school, they said they would reconvene in the summer to talk about that plan. Right now, they don't know what that's going to look like.
