Waitsburg School District to offer online learning program, in-person option

WAITSBURG—The Waitsburg School District is preparing for an uncertain school year, as they develop a plan to safely reopen the school’s doors this fall. The district is adding two online curriculum options, so parents and children can attend school in whatever way they feel is safest.

“We want to make sure our kids are safe, and we want to make sure the protocols in place keep everyone safe,” Superintendent Mark Pickel said.

The district will be offering online education opportunities through Edgenuity and Apex Learning.

“We recognize that there is a need for a robust, or as robust as we can make it, online presence for grades K-12,” Pickel said. “We know that we will have families that are uncomfortable coming back into the building for a variety of reasons. We are going to launch a K-12 online learning opportunity for families that want to stay home but still want to be in the district.”

Both Edgenuity (K-5) and Apex Learning (6-12) programs will be monitored by Waitsburg School District staff to keep the connection with Waitsburg’s teachers. Still, families will have the option to take the online courses without help from Waitsburg’s staff.

Superintendent Pickel said that he foresees that online option being a sustainable resource for the school. He is hoping members of the community that have gone elsewhere for education will come back to the Waitsburg School District, as the online programs offer many of the extra classes that students looked for elsewhere.

Edgenuity and Apex Learning each offer a full online curriculum, and the district can tailor classes to help reflect each classroom’s curriculum.

Superintendent Pickel said that the district would have virtual office hours for their staff. These hours can be used by parents and students to discuss education concerns and will serve as a time for students to get extra help— similar to meeting with a teacher after class in a regular school setting.

As of Monday, August 3, the district is planning on offering the two-day in-person learning, three-day distance learning schedule. Pickel expressed that in-person learning is contingent on county guidelines and COVID-19 case numbers and that the school is keeping an eye on other schools in the area. Schools, especially in the Tri-Cities, are going to start the year online and reevaluate quarterly, or at the end of the semester.

“We are governed by the county’s health department. It could be out of our control, and we are preparing for the possibility of being completely online for the start of the school year,” Pickel said.

Superintendent Pickel said he anticipates sending out information to families in the next week, which will detail the online programs, in-person learning plan, and more.