Vacation plans were trimmed back or scrapped; annual family gatherings were postponed; endless lazy days at the community swimming pool disappeared. This summer was broadsided by the COVID-19 pandemic, and much uncertainty regarding the coming school year lies in its wake. Even the advertisements for department stores’ “Back to School” sales are divided between typical school supplies, like glue sticks, paper and pencils, and online school supplies, such as tablets, headphones, and office chairs. Today we are going to talk about back to school concerns that parents might have.

Depending on where you live, the start of your 2020/2021 school year could look very different from that of other cities. As of this writing, the Parkway School District has announced it will begin the year with 100% virtual instruction – joining other suburban school districts Affton, Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Kirkwood, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, and Ritenour.

Leaning Towards All Online Teaching For The First Quarter

Here in St. Louis, the Saint Louis Public Schools are leaning towards all online teaching for the first quarter of the year per the recommendation of Superintendent Kelvin Adams. The start date has been pushed back to August 31, and 20 schools are planned to open as “instructional support centers” for the roughly one-third of families voicing a preference for in-person instruction (St. Louis Public Schools superintendent recommends all-online). Learning plan decisions for charter schools and private schools are being made at the school level, so one would expect a variety of educational methods will be present. Regardless of what school looks like this fall, families across the St. Louis region are preparing for a “new normal” when it comes to education.

Navigate STL Schools Wants To Know How You Feel About Your Children Starting A New School Year Amid A Pandemic.

Specifically, we’d love to hear about:

Summer Reading And Other Educational Goals

• What did your child’s summer reading list look like?
• Did you engage in other educational activities (online classes, virtual academic camps)?
• Were there subjects you felt your child didn’t cover adequately in the spring? If so, did you target those areas for any summer learning activities?

Returning To School In The Fall

• What are your major areas of concern surrounding the start of the 2020/2021 school year?
• Are you favoring 100% online instruction, primarily in-person instruction, a hybrid of the two, or another type of instruction model?
• If your child is already enrolled in a school for the fall, how are you hearing about updates to the re-opening procedures (e.g. email, social media, etc.)?

2020/2021 School Year Expectations

• When school resumes in some fashion, what are you most excited about for the year ahead?
• What do you feel might be most helpful for your child this year to get the most out of their education?

So, contact us or let us know on our social media channels – we’d love to hear what’s on your mind, and use that feedback to continue to provide the best resources to help guide your family on your educational journey.