VIDEO: Plainfield School District 202 Board of Education Rejects Proposed Reopening Plan for Fall 2020
A 3-3 vote by the Plainfield Community Consolidated School District Board of Education on the proposed COVID-19 Reopening Plan for Fall 2020 means the District administrative staff must come back to the Board with another re-opening proposal.
Board member Heather Drake, Vice President Rod Westfall and President Kevin Kirberg supported the proposal. Board Secretary Dave Koch, and Board members Bob Smith and Mike Robey voted against it. Board member Joette Doyle was absent because of recent health issues.
According to a post on the District's website: "Drake, acknowledging parents’ concerns, asked that the proposal be amended to require teachers to interact online with students every day rather than once or twice a week as first proposed. She also suggested requiring teachers to teach online from their classrooms rather than from home.
She and Westfall both emphasized the need to protect students’ and staff’s health and safety.
However, Robey raised concerns about the long-term social and emotional impact of continued separation of students from their teachers.
Likewise, Smith said elementary students and special needs students need a more personal touch than teachers can provide online."
The proposed reopening plan, which had called for all remote learning for the first quarter of Fall 2020, had been presented by District staff at a July 15, 2020 board meeting.
Board discussion and vote on the reopening plan begins at 2:13:00:
Board member Heather Drake, Vice President Rod Westfall and President Kevin Kirberg supported the proposal. Board Secretary Dave Koch, and Board members Bob Smith and Mike Robey voted against it. Board member Joette Doyle was absent because of recent health issues.
According to a post on the District's website: "Drake, acknowledging parents’ concerns, asked that the proposal be amended to require teachers to interact online with students every day rather than once or twice a week as first proposed. She also suggested requiring teachers to teach online from their classrooms rather than from home.
She and Westfall both emphasized the need to protect students’ and staff’s health and safety.
However, Robey raised concerns about the long-term social and emotional impact of continued separation of students from their teachers.
Likewise, Smith said elementary students and special needs students need a more personal touch than teachers can provide online."
The proposed reopening plan, which had called for all remote learning for the first quarter of Fall 2020, had been presented by District staff at a July 15, 2020 board meeting.
Board discussion and vote on the reopening plan begins at 2:13:00:
