Pickerington Schools considering hybrid model for junior high students in 2022-23

Pickerington Schools officials are considering moving to a hybrid model for junior high students for the 2022-23 school year, and possibly longer.

As it did at the outset of the 2020-21 school year, Pickerington Schools may use “cohorts” for the next school year that would see groups of students attend in-person classes for a portion of the week and receive online instruction the balance of the week.

However, this time the hybrid model would be in place only for students at the district's two junior high schools; it's being considered in response to what district officials say is overcrowded conditions, not the COVID-19 pandemic.

The proposal was discussed during a May 9 board meeting.

"We do have the same number of classrooms even though we are getting more students," said Heather Hedgepath, chief administrative officer and assistant superintendent for Pickerington Schools. "We want to make sure that the district will use its current building space to its capacity and effectiveness while creating a long-term plan to address the growing needs of our district."

District administrators have proposed three cohorts of students at Lakeview and Ridgeview would attend in-person classes on Mondays and Wednesdays, and would receive virtual instruction on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Four other cohorts would take classes virtually on Mondays and Wednesdays, and attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Under that plan, the cohorts would attend in-person classes every other Friday, and their schedules would flip-flop in the second semester of the year.

Hedgepath said students with individualized education plans, mental health issues or extreme special needs would be provided with whatever services deemed necessary and could attend in-person school as often as five days a week.

According to information provided by the district, 1,749 junior high students who are expected to enroll in the district next year would be affected by the hybrid proposal.

That's slightly lower than the 1,755 seventh- and eighth-grade students attending the two junior high schools this year, but district administrators and principals at the two schools say overcrowding is leading to space constraints, as well as disciplinary issues and anxiety among students.

"It's not a cure-all," Superintendent Chris Briggs said of the plan. "It's not the best situation for all of our families.

"But we're trying to do the best we can with what we have in front of us and we're focusing on modern facilities because we need to have the adequate space to educate our children without some of the disruptions we faced in the last year," he said.

A decision about the proposal is expected at the May 23 meeting.

Administrators and some school board members said the hybrid plan is needed after voters defeated bond issues three times since 2017 that would have provided revenue to build a third junior high school.

A district-commissioned study released by Cooperative Strategies last January said Pickerington’s two junior high schools are operating at greater than 85% capacity, and enrollment is expected to grow from 844 students at Lakeview in 2022-23, to 925 by 2025-26.

Ridgeview enrollment is projected to grow from 905 in 2022-23 to 989 in 2025-26.

"This is not an easy time for us right now, and it will not get easier until we open the new building," board member Cathy Olshefski said. "We've had three ballot issues since 2017, and they've all been voted down.

"So we have to play with the hand we're dealt, and it's not pretty. I think it's important for this community to embrace the reality that their options are not great, but that we are trying to make the best of a not-great situation."

Treasurer Ryan Jenkins said using modular classrooms or converting unused commercial space the district would lease or buy is not cost effective, presents safety issues and would be difficult to complete in time for the 2022-23 school year. However, some board members said they don't support the hybrid proposal.

"I have really struggled with this and, philosophically, I'm just not there," board member Clay Lopez said.

Lopez noted enrollment at the two junior high schools was six students more this year than is projected in 2022-23 and was 15 students greater in 2020-21.

"Our numbers are staying steady at that level," he said. "I think we're doing a real disservice to our students by not having them in the buildings. I think it would be a real shame for some of our junior high kids not to be in the buildings full-time for their entire experiences."

Some parents also oppose the proposal.

"I was really in shock when I heard about all of this – angry," said Courtney Green, a parent of three students in the district. "Now, I'm just simply sad that this is where we are."

Green said she thinks the district is "punishing" parents for not passing previous bond issues, as well as for some behavioral issues that have come up at the junior high schools.

"I know that COVID wasn't a choice," she said. "We did what we had to do.

"This is a choice. Parents have all gone back to work now. People don't have the time at home that we did with COVID. I'm worried about the kids being managed.

"This feels like a direct punishment. … I just don't see how this is giving our students the best we can give them."

Susie Martin, another parent, said she agreed with Green and doesn't believe the hybrid model is good enough for students and families.

"It feels very much like a behavior and discipline issue and I would very much like to see different ways we could handle that, rather than penalizing all students with a hybrid model that simply doesn't work for so many of them," Martin said.

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Pickerington Schools considering hybrid model for junior high students in 2022-23