Families could have a better idea this month of what a more normal school year looks like.
With vaccine availability expanding, educators are planning now for a start of school this fall that could bring some relaxed coronavirus mitigation strategies and more steady in-person instructional time.
School leaders say they plan to stick closely to forthcoming guidance from state health and education officials that could shed light on school masking policies, virtual learning alternatives and whether coronavirus vaccines will someday become required for students.
In March, Gov. Eric Holcomb said he would extend mask requirements in schools through the end of the 2020-21 year. Dr. Kristina Box, the stateâs health commissioner, said in a news conference this week that guidance for summer and fall sessions would be coming âsoon.â
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This provided rendering shows what the Morris Performing Arts Center and its block on North Michigan Street in South Bend will look like after the construction of a parking garage that will be attached to the theater to allow patrons to enter directly from the structure without going outside and through the building s main entrances.Â
Photo provided
SOUTH BEND â The South Bend Community School Corp. board will meet Monday night for its first in person session in more than a year.
The board, which has convened virtually since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Washington High School Auditorium for student recognition and a presentation of the districtâs multi-tiered systems of support plan.
The board will continue to broadcast meetings live on Youtube and WETL 91.7 FM, as it has done throughout the pandemic.
However, those wishing to make public comments must attend in person.
Social distancing and face masks will be required. Hand sanitizer and masks will be provided to those who need it.
Indiana’s public schools will receive nearly $1.8 billion to help recover from the pandemic as part of the American Rescue Plan Act, the state announced today. This is the largest ever injection of federal funds to Indiana schools.
At least 20% of the dollars a school district or charter school receives must go toward addressing learning loss during the pandemic, such as offering summer school. These one-time funds can be also used to reimburse certain expenses related to COVID-19 through September 2024, such as physical facility improvements.
The funds announced today are for traditional school districts, charter and virtual schools, and adult high schools. Indianapolis Public Schools is set to receive the most of any district $136 million of the state s allocation.
Adams High School, however, was anything but calm Tuesday.
Students with backpacks hanging off their shoulders traversed up Adamâs picturesque front stairwell.
At the top, a student whizzed by on a skateboard sending a classmateâs books clattering to the ground. A few seconds later, the students reset and the moment played out again.
A production crew with lights and cameras in tow followed the scene step by step until the direction came down: âOK, I think we got it.â
The crew â a team from Bloomington-based Pigasus Pictures â was at the high school Tuesday to film âRenegade,â a 14-minute film written by Adams senior Sam Villagra-Stanton.