Starting this fall, all students at Grand Rapids Public Schools will be going to school virtually.
What this means is that Tuesday through Thursday for three hours per day they connect in real time with their teachers and peers virtually. Mondays and Fridays, students will have the entire day to complete assignments, and engage in art, music or physical education.
“And I know with any choice that we make not everyone will be happy but we are trying to do what’s best safety-wise and structurally for our 17,000 students.”
That’s the district’s superintendent Leadriane Roby. She says that while most GRPS families believe virtual learning is the safest, there are some parents who will not be enrolling their children at GRPS this fall.
“And even with respect to some of the other districts, as I have even talked to them earlier today, they are changing their plans so I think you are going to see more districts looking at the virtual component as well because people are very concerned and it does change from day-to-day as to the feedback and responses we are getting from our local officials.”
Within the first few days of school, every student will be assessed on their understanding of prerequisite skills and grade level proficiencies to help the district gauge the learning loss that may have happened last Spring.