Opt-out available for Blue Springs School District students in the fall

Come fall, families with students in the Blue Springs School District have the option of returning to in-person classes for the semester or can opt out and enroll their children in BSSD Distance Learning, according to a Tuesday email from the Blue Springs School District.

The option will stand for the semester lasting August through December and parents must decide between in-person or distance-learning by Friday, July 17.

Those who choose in-person classes can elect to move their children to the virtual option at any time, but parents who choose the virtual option will not be allowed to switch to in-person classes until Jan. 6, 2021, at the earliest, according to reporting by 41 Action News.

Depending response from families, Blue Springs might also alter its class schedule and stagger the number of children in the building to accommodate social-distancing requirements.

“Please keep in mind that mandated social distancing restrictions may not allow for our district to host school Monday-Friday for every student,” the district said in an email. “Our buildings were not designed to hold 20-30 students in a classroom seated six feet apart. If social distancing is mandated and over 70% of our student population opts to return to In-Person School, we will be forced to look at alternate plans that allow for fewer students in the building each day.”

The Blue Springs School District operates schools in Blue Springs, Independence, Lake Tapawingo and Lee’s Summit.

“The requirements and restrictions of in-person school will be fluid based on city, county and state regulations,” the school district said.

For students who wish to continue virtual learning, the school district will issue a device to all students in fourth through 12th grades, including any other students who need them, reports 41 Action News.

Students will be grouped in “classes” with a certified teacher for distance learning but will not have teacher-led instruction all day. The length of class sessions will vary depending on which grade the student is enrolled in, with preschool and kindergarten students having a daily 45-minute session with their teacher and high school students having three hours. Exact amounts of time may change.

“We learned a tremendous amount about distance learning during the spring shutdown,” the school district said. “Since that time, our Curriculum and Instruction Department have been taking parent and student feedback to heart and modifying the coursework and expectations of BSSD Distance Learning.”