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Bettendorf school parents have two options when it comes to back-to-school time

The Bettendorf Community School Board approved a hybrid learning plan at its school board meeting last week.

BETTENDORF, Iowa — Iowa students are heading back to school in the coming weeks. And Bettendorf Schools have announced their return-to-learn plan.

Superintendent Michelle Morse says only about half the students will be in the building at a time, from grade school through high school. Students will be in school two or three times a week. The rest of their time will be spent learning online.

The school board approved this hybrid learning plan last week.

Everyone is also required to wear a mask or face covering, and parents are asked to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms before sending them to school each day. Staff won't be doing temperature checks at the door each day.

Morse says this plan offers flexibility.

"So in the event of the condition should get worse, and we’re directed to go into 100 percent remote learning, that shift back to remote learning won't be as drastic," she says, "because part of their time will be spent in school learning and part will still be at home.”

Parents have to pick between this hybrid plan and an online-only plan for the first quarter of the year. They have to submit their "intent to return" form by August 11th to let the district know which plan they're going with.

The superintendent says they can follow Governor Kim Reynolds' guidelines to get students back in school at least partially.

"The guidance from the Governor ensures our students get to be back in school," Morse says. "If they can't be 100 percent of the time, they'll still have access to their teachers and peers. By coming back in a 50 percent model, where we're not serving 100 percent of our students, we're able to implement those mitigation strategies, such as social distancing, good hygiene protocols."

Morse says if a student or staff member were to test positive for COVID, they will work with the Scott County Health Department on a plant to move forward.

"Staff has worked tirelessly," she says. "They have worked around the clock, 6-7 days a week the entire summer to be prepared for when our students come back on August 24th. I think for us, knowing we’re going to see our students in about two weeks, keeps us going.”

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