PRINCETON, WV (WOAY) – Students in Mercer County will soon have an idea of what the 2020-21 school year will look like.
Mercer County Board of Education has released tentative plans for students’ return in the fall. Depending on grade level, students are going to be placed on two different models; Blended Model A and Blended Model B.
“Elementary schools could follow one model, and secondary schools follow another. And certainly, the reason for that could be elementary schools can keep your children grouped in small groups where they’re not in the entire school’s population or around the entire school’s population. In Secondary, that’s more of a challenge,” said Mercer County Superintendent Deborah Akers.
According to Mercer County Superintendent Deborah Akers in Blended Model A, students will attend school five days a week on a shortened schedule. Blended Model B, students will attend school on alternate days on a shortened schedule. Both Models will require students to complete classwork and assignments from home each day.
“We’re calling it blended because, with the short day, the expectation on both of the schedules would be that students would have additional work at home because the day is shortened,” said Akers.
Akers said they are looking at considering both Models A or B for in-person education, but all plans are subject to change closer to the first day of school.
“We have not specified which model we would implement at the beginning of the year because we want to wait until it’s closer to the opening date so that we have up to date information in case the CDC has changed their guidelines,” said Akers.
For more information on Mercer County’s back to school plans, contact the Mercer County Board of Education of Administrative Offices.
