Shoals High School switches to A/B schedule to increase social distancing

Shoals High School switches to A/B schedule to increase social distancing

Good evening and thanks for joining us.

Martin county, indiana has been declared a "hotspot" for covid-19.

That means it's more important" for schools" to social distance.

News 10 bureau chief gary brian tells us how one high school is changing its plans to keep kids safe.

Gar} "this school year began relatively well for shoals community school corporation.

However as the number of sick students began to rise a change was needed."

That change is happening at the high school.

And that change is happening because of space.

"we have a 3% absanteeism due to illness.

Which is no where near the 20%.

But we are finding that it is hard to keep the kiddos six feet apart in a classroom.

And so if one were to become sick we would then have to quarantine everyone that sits around them."

Classrooms are smaller at the high school.

That's compared to the elementary and middle schools.

The biggest class is 27 students.

Even then it's hard to keep everyone six feet apart.

That's led to an a/b schedule.

"it's still easier for us if we divided them up and had group a and group b and only had half the class there at once."

Group a will attend in person on monday and tuesday...group b on thursday and friday.

The high school already uses google in the classroom.

Making it easier to remote learn.

"some teachers want to do live classrooms and then some of them they prefer to prerecord it and then post the video for the class.

We give them the option."

The district hopes to get wifi hotspots for students who don't have internet.

Until then flash drives are being used to help out.

It may not be perfect...but school leaders say they're making sure kids get the education they need.

"i feel like we are reinventing the wheel everyday.

Once we get something figured out we're constantly learning something new.

The learning curve is changing."

Gar} "the corporation's plans will be reviewed in the coming weeks to see what changes, if any, need to be made.

Working from home in vincennes, gary brian news 10."

The vigo county school corporation is also on the "a" and "b" schedule.

The corporation the schedule.

And "b" also on the "a" corporation is county school the vigo news 10."

Gary brian vincennes, from home in made.

Working from home in vincennes, gary brian news 10."