Dover Board of Education approves plan to reopen schools

The Dover City Schools Board of Education has approved its plan to reopen schools for the 2020-21 year. The plan is based on guidelines from the Ohio Department of Health, the Tuscarawas County Health Department, feedback from staff and parents, as well as the work of staff-led reopening task forces.

“This school year will be unlike any other,” said Superintendent Carla Birney. “Quite a bit of work went into developing this plan. We sought input from our families and staff, and we knew we needed a plan that strives for a quality learning experience for students and allows us to adjust and adapt quickly should we need to reduce our daily schedule or even transition to full remote learning again.”

Families can choose from two pathways: Face-to-Face Instruction, which includes flexible options such as: full time in-person instruction; a hybrid of in-person and remote learning; or full remote learning to meet safety guidelines that may change throughout the year. The second pathway for families wanting a full online program provides 100% digital instruction taught by Dover teachers.

For those students choosing the face-to-face option, the first day for in-person instruction is Tuesday, Sept. 8. "As we recognize that parents need to be able to plan for the beginning of school, we want our parents to know the following: If circumstances remain as they are today, based on the recommendation of the Tuscarawas County Health Department, we would start the year in A2: Modified Face-to-Face learning," Birney said.

The district is working to develop procedures for cleaning and sanitizing, daily health checks for employees and students, frequent hand-washing/sanitizing, and frequent cleaning of surfaces in all areas.

Students are required to have a face mask with them at school each day. Masks are required on all buses, in common areas and other areas where social distancing cannot be maintained. The district will be responsive to state and local health guidance; there may be additional times that masks will be required for attendance, but they are strongly recommended at all times.

“We remain in the middle of a pandemic and we are all learning a bit more about what that means as we live through it,” Birney said. “Our staff, teachers and administration are focused on making this transition as smooth as possible, however, we know we can expect change. As our families consider all options, we remind them to plan for all scenarios and know we are working as hard as we can to meet students' and families’ needs, while prioritizing the health and well-being of our school community. Ultimately, our plan will adhere to the recommendations provided by the Ohio Departments of Education and Health, and the Tuscarawas County Health Department.”

For more information about the reopening plan, visit www.dovertornadoes.com.