CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Parents and guardians of students in Kanawha County Schools have until Friday, Nov. 20 to select a Spring enrollment option for their student.
All students will continue to have an online or in-person option. Those currently in in-person or KCS eLearning, through Schoology, will be able to continue or switch to the other, a Kanawha County Schools (KCS) release said.
Students in the state virtual program, administered by KCS, will be able to stay put or move to another option, KCS Superintendent Tom Williams told 580-WCHS. The KCS virtual program will not be accepting students who are not currently enrolled.
Williams said he does not know what to expect from enrollment numbers for the spring but expects it to be similar to fall numbers that included a near split between in-person and online.
“We just roll with the punches and change as we need to change,” he said of KCS’ flexibility. “It’s upsetting for people because everyone likes to know what to expect but in this pandemic, no one knows what to expect.”
Williams said there were a handful of cases in the fall where students were allowed to switch options mid-term. Those were brought to education leaders on a case-by-case basis. Williams said he does not expect many schedule changes once the semester begins.
Parents can register children on the KCS website or by calling their home school. Every guardian should complete a form for each student, even if the student is continuing on in the same enrollment type, Williams said.
Completing the form will give schools the information they need to make plans for schedules, social distancing, and staffing for the Spring semester. The form may be completed by computer, tablet, or smartphone, or by contacting the local school.
“This is my 37th year with Kanawha County Schools and never seen anything like this,” Williams said of options today. “Even my first year as a first-year teacher was easier than this. I have never seen anything like this and I don’t think anyone else in our system has either.”
Story by Jake Flatley