By Wayne Gates
Ohio schools will remain closed for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.
That decision was announced by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on April 20.
“We balanced many issues in arriving at this decision. In the end, I believe this is what is best to protect the health of our children, our teachers, and our administrators,” said DeWine.
“While our buildings are closed, we know that students continue to learn in new and innovative ways. I thank all of our teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents for all they have done and will continue to do in these challenging times.”
DeWine added that no decisions have been made regarding whether or not schools will reopen in the fall.
Brown County school districts are all continuing with remote learning procedures to close out the year.
Now that the uncertainty has been removed over whether classes will resume, districts are now able to plan what to do about traditional event like prom and graduation.
Georgetown
“We are currently moving graduation to June 14, 2020 – time TBA. It was originally scheduled for May 17,” said Georgetown Superintendent Brad Winterod in an email. “Prom will be moved to June 6, 2020 – location and time TBA.”
He continued, “Now that the Governor has ordered schools to remain closed, the Georgetown Exempted Village Schools will continue to educate students virtually until May 8, 2020 – our official last day of school. Final exams for grades 9-12 will be optional.”
Winterod also praised everyone involved in adapting to the current situation.
“We are incredibly proud of our students, parents and staff as they have all navigated the stress and uncertain future of the last few weeks!” he said.
Eastern
Eastern Superintendent Michele Filon also shared her district’s plans via e-mail.
“First, I want to say that I have never been more proud of the Eastern District than I have been during the last two months. These are very difficult times; and yet… teachers have continued to create meaningful learning experiences for our students, our food services and transportation teams have delivered healthy meals to our kids, and our students have produced amazing work from home!” Filon wrote.
“In regards to graduation, the Eastern Local School District is planning a “virtual graduation” for Sunday, May 17 with a physical graduation celebration to occur later in the summer if/when group size restrictions are raised. Eastern will continue with meal delivery through the end of the school year (May 22). Prom is currently scheduled for July 11, but that will be contingent upon the Governor’s guidelines.”
Ripley
Superintendent James Wilkins spoke to The News Democrat by phone.
“We are going to continue our blended model where our students, especially in grades three through twelve, are online with platforms like Google classroom. We will use that until the end of the school year,” Wilkins said.
K-3 students in Ripley use packets that are picked up at the school by parents
Wilkins also addressed the situation that 2020 graduates find themselves in.
“I feel very badly for seniors. I know how important the last quarter of the senior year is with all of those rites of passage like prom and graduation, so we want to recognize them in as many ways as we can,” Wilkins said.
At this point, the RULH school district has identified possible alternative dates for prom and graduation, but nothing is firm yet.
The tentative dates for prom are June 13 or July 18 and the tentative dates for graduation are May 24, June 21 or July 26.
“We want to have a traditional graduation, but we will have to see how it plays out with the government restrictions on crowding,” said Wilkins.
He also gave a nod to everyone who is adapting to the school closure.
“I would like to thank the parents for their continued support and helping students learn at home. I also want to thank our teachers and staff for stepping up to the plate and providing education in a different manner than they are accustomed to. They have done an outstanding job.”
Fayetteville
Superintendent Tim Carlier said that the board of education will discuss the situation and possible alternatives later this week.
“We want to have something for our seniors. Of course our choice would be a traditional graduation. A physical graduation with social distancing is possible. We plan to touch base with other superintendents in the county to remain consistent,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate, but we will get through it. If we are patient and do what’s needed now, we will get back to normal.”
No tentative dates for prom or graduation have been set for the Fayetteville School District at this time.
Western Brown
“We are going to have to evaluate where we are and make the best decisions we can moving forward,” said Superintendent Raegan White.
“It’s very fluid environment and things can change daily.”
No plans have been made yet on how or when to hold a prom or graduation ceremony in the Western Brown School District.
In a statement during a remote board meeting earlier this week, White said “I want our public to know that we will keep working to do everything in our power to provide what we can to our students in a safe and effective manner, and I want to thank our community for their patience and understanding.”
