Isle of Wight becomes first in Hampton Roads to bring students back in-person as part of a hybrid model
The school board voted 3-2 on Thursday morning to bring some Isle of Wight County students back to class in a hybrid model.
The vote bucks a growing trend in Hampton Roads — most districts have indicated they will start the year virtually.
Under Isle of Wight’s plan, proposed by board chairwoman Jackie Carr, elementary and middle school students will attend on alternating days: one group on Monday and Wednesday, the other Tuesday and Thursday.
High school students will attend 100% virtually, except for some in career and technical education classes, such as welding, which can meet occasionally in small groups. The board will reconsider by the end of the first nine weeks.
“I’m for taking one foot forward for those who choose to return to school, but to do it slowly, safely, see how it goes, and then plan accordingly,” Carr said. “This model will have us implement new safety procedures with fewer students with the goal — it should be all of our goal — to move to five days a week. We won’t know what the next step is until we see the success of the hybrid model.”
Like most other districts in the state, Isle of Wight is offering an all-virtual option for parents who don’t feel comfortable sending their children back.
Board members Victoria Hulick and Denise Tynes voted against the proposal, advocating for all students to start online when the school year starts Sept. 8.
“I know that working is an issue; there’s a lot of issues that we have. But there’s a lot of issues no matter what situation we pick,” Hulick said before the vote. “I feel the safest option is virtual for the first nine weeks. One death of a teacher, one death of a student — that’s one too many.”
Compared to surrounding localities, Isle of Wight has relatively few cases of COVID-19. There have 323 total cases and nine deaths, according to data released Thursday morning by the Virginia Department of Health. Isle of Wight wasn’t included in Gov. Ralph Northam’s additional restrictions he announced Tuesday in the face of rising case numbers in Hampton Roads.
In a presentation before the vote, Superintendent Jim Thorton said that the issue is surrounding counties and cities — places where many people go to work and shop.
Most districts in southeastern Virginia, those with rising case numbers and significant community spread, have opted to start the year virtually. Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg-James City County have voted to start the year virtually.
Superintendents in Hampton and York County will recommend to their school boards that they start the year virtually.
He showed a matrix of considerations like burden on the healthcare system and community spread, which show that eastern Virginia isn’t faring as well as the rest of the state.
“Are we going to look at Isle of Wight by itself and its matrix or are we going to look at the matrix in a regional approach?” Thornton said. “So that is what the board will have to consider.”
Thornton also presented results of a parent and staff survey that closed Monday. About 3,600 parents responded - almost equal amounts of respondents preferred all in-person or all-virtual school. Only 28% said they were interested in a blended model.
Among teachers, 40% preferred all-virtual, 36% wanted a blended option and 24% said they wanted to teach all in-person. Carr cited the results as a mandate for in-person instruction.
“Why are we going to ask them their opinion and then we say ‘Thank you for your opinion but we’re going to do what we think is best?‘” Carr said in response to Hulick. “We have to consider their options, their opinions.”
Board member Alvin Wilson, who represents the Hardy district, cast the deciding vote in Thursday’s meeting at Westside Elementary, which followed an in-person public comment meeting on Tuesday.
Wilson said he wasn’t ready when they first took the vote. After Carr explained her proposal again, including that parents can choose all-virtual for the first semester, Wilson voted yes.
“I don’t believe anyone is here to play Russian roulette with a child,” Wilson said before the vote.
Although parents will have a choice about whether to let their students return to face-to-face instruction, some teachers may not. Teachers will be able to apply to teach virtually, and those with health conditions that put them at risk will have the highest priority.
But Carr said that not every teacher, including those who have a vulnerable family member at home, is guaranteed a virtual teaching slot.
The district has information sessions planned in the coming weeks for parents. They must decide by Aug. 10 whether to request all-virtual instruction.
Matt Jones, 757-247-4729, mjones@dailypress.com
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