Columbus Schools and Union Agree on Return to Class for Career and Technical Students
The Columbus City Schools administration and the Columbus Education Association reached agreement Wednesday on how classes will be conducted through the first semester for career and technical students.
Starting Monday November 2, more than 1,400 students in the Career and Technical Education programs at Columbus Downtown High School and the Fort Hayes Career Center will begin a blended learning plan.
Those students will report to class two days a week and learn remotely on the other three days. Students will be notified about when they should report for class.
The rest of the district is on a remote learning plan through the end of the first semester on Jan. 15, because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Career and technical students are required to have in-person learning for their certification, particularly juniors and seniors so they can graduate on time. So the administration and union negotiated how that would be done.
The district has agreed to provide the following protocols.
-Requiring everyone to wear a mask on the bus and in school
-Hand sanitzer in every classroom and lab.
-Cleaning and sanitizing high touch areas, including door handles and faucets.
-Disposable overlay coats if needed.
-Gloves for programs if needed.
-Personal bins for students items.
-Tool bins for sanitizing between use.
-Plexiglass dividers if needed to maintain six feet of social distance.
-Labs and classrooms will be cleaned and sanitized daily
-Safety signage on doors, floors, walls, and handwashing stations.
Special education students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 with specific complex needs will remain in a completely remote learning environment through the end of the semester (January 15, 2021).
“My goal throughout the discussions with our union partners has been and always will be how to best achieve our priority of providing an equitable education to all students within the context of the health and safety concerns of the pandemic,” said Superintendent/CEO Dr. Talisa Dixon.
“The MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) reached today with the Columbus Education Association does just that. I am grateful for the work of the negotiations teams for collaborating on an agreement that prioritizes the needs of our students.”
“The priority for our Union during this pandemic has and will continue to be the health and safety of our school communities,” said John Coneglio, President of the Columbus Education Association.
“We now turn to implementing the new agreement, which includes a number of critical, enforceable health and safety provisions that will provide confidence to our members so that they can focus on providing the best education during this difficult time.”
https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2020/10/28/columbus-schools-and-union-agree-return-career-students/6064965002/