The Marshalltown Community School District Return to Learn plan is presenting parents with two options on sending children back to school — on-site learning or remote continuous learning. However, the plan is not yet set in stone, so parents do not need to worry about the process of making the decision just yet.

Director of Instruction Lisa Stevenson said the final decision on Return to Learn will be made on Aug. 1 by the school board.

“It is important for parents, guardians and students to keep in mind that the district’s current recommendation — having fully on-site learning with multiple safety measures, and an option for fully online learning — is not the final Return to Learn plan as of right now,” she said. “It is also very important that parents know their students must be registered for the 2020-21 school year in order to take classes this fall — no matter which decision is made for Return to Learn.”

The district has a team evaluating curricular programs for kindergarten through 12th grades — programs that may be suitable for families who choose the virtual learning option for the first semester.

The team’s goal is to find a high-quality product that is student and parent-friendly and will be supported by a highly-qualified teacher who can give feedback and support with the technology, Stevenson said.

“Those who learn on-site will be served by high-quality curriculum resources and highly qualified teachers,” she said. “Major planning has already been underway and continues regarding health and safety measures for students and staff in the schools who will be learning in-person.”

Staff are also working on a Return to Learn Intentions survey for families to share their thoughts and feelings about how the district plans the return to classes. Stevenson said the survey will be sent out early next week.

ONLINE REGISTRATION:

The link to the Marshalltown Community School District registration web page is https://www.marshalltown.k12.ia.us/parents/2020-21-online-school-registration/

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.