June 12, 2020—The District received nearly 1,200 responses to its Shaker Schools Fall Re-Entry Survey. The respondents represented a cross-section of District families, with 49 percent of those responding having students in grades K-4, 44.5 percent in grades 5-8, 40.3 percent in high school and 2.6 percent in preschool (respondents could identify in multiple categories). The survey yielded hundreds of specific comments, observations and concerns from families. Today, the District is releasing a separate survey to faculty and staff.
The family survey revealed several broad trends that reflect the thoughts of our families at the close of the school year:
- More than 87 percent of the respondents said they were “certain or likely” to send their children to in-school instruction in the fall. Only 9.5 percent said they were unlikely, with 3.1 percent saying they would not send their children to school.
- Of those intending to send their children to school, nearly 39 percent said they would allow their child to ride a school bus, 23 percent said they would not allow their child to ride a bus and about 38 percent indicated their child either walks or attends the High School.
- When asked about blended models that included both in-school and distance learning, more than a third of the respondents favored having students in school two days a week with alternating A and B days. About 22 percent said they favored a model with alternating A and B weeks, and about 18 percent favored abbreviated or partial days.
This information, along with guidance from the Ohio Department of Health and the Governor’s Office, will assist the District in developing and implementing a re-entry plan that respects the health and safety of our students and staff and that meets the needs of our students and families.