UA Schools Responsible Restart Plan

Responsible Restart logoThroughout the summer, the Upper Arlington Schools team has worked to consider several different scenarios for how we would be starting the school year and the different learning models we may need as long as COVID-19 remains a concern. Families, students and staff members shared their thoughts through multiple surveys and focus groups — totalling more than 12,000 touchpoints in all. Their feedback informed the planning for the 2020-2021 school year and any future distance learning needs.

The result of all of this feedback and work is the Upper Arlington Schools Responsible Restart Plan, which was approved by the Board of Education on July 31, 2020. This plan details two pathways for students for the 2020-2021 school year and numerous health and safety measures that will be implemented to deliver in-person learning. 

Two pathways for 2020-2021 school yearThe school-based pathway offers two models that may be implemented at any time depending on the current situation with COVID-19: the hybrid model, which combines in-person and remote learning, and the Enhanced Distance Learning model.

The UA Online Academy pathway is a K-12 fully online learning alternative to the school-based learning pathway during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Online Academy gives parents an option for their students to learn at home with a curriculum specifically created for online education and fully guided, monitored and supported by Upper Arlington teachers. 

Families will have the choice of enrolling their student in the Online Academy OR keeping their student in whichever school-based instructional model in which Upper Arlington Schools is operating. 

How we will start the 2020-2021 school year

Following the guidance from Franklin County Public Health, all students in the school-based pathway will begin the school year on Wednesday, August 19 in the Enhanced Distance Learning model. We will continue in that manner through at least Friday, September 18. 

Students who choose to begin the school year in the UA Online Academy will also begin their school year on Wednesday, August 19 and will follow the school year calendar.

From now through mid-September, Franklin County Public Health officials will be evaluating all of the available surveillance data and communicating its observations with us weekly.  If health officials feel it is safe/appropriate to transition to our in-person hybrid learning model, we would do so no earlier than Monday, September 21 and we would give families, students and teachers advance notice in order to prepare for that change.  

Again, to be clear, we are guaranteeing that we will stay in the Enhanced Distance through at least September 18 to allow families and staff members the ability to plan ahead.  We are not guaranteeing that we will be able to return to school in person on September 21.  We will follow public health guidance and make a decision about a return to the in-person hybrid schedule based upon that recommendation. We will provide updates to families and staff members as we continue to learn more from public health officials.

Upcoming information sessions

Week of August 10

Building-level virtual information meetings
  • Details to come from your building principal

Week of August 17

UA Online Academy - Parent Academy
  • More details to come from the district

Flexibility as we move forward

Everything we’re sharing is based upon what we know today.  We will continue to re-evaluate based on evolving conditions, data about the status of the pandemic, and recommendations and guidance from public health authorities and the scientific community. Flexibility will be crucial as we move forward together in the coming weeks and months.
 
Please click the links below to learn more about the Enhanced Distance Learning model, in-person Hybrid learning model and the fully digital UA Online Academy. 
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