The 2020-2021 school year is coming quickly.

There is still a lot of unease in the community concerning what precautions are going to be put in place in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Becker Schools issued a press release, and Big Lake discussed the issue in a recent school board meeting, both of which outline the plan for fall semester. Both schools are planning to use the hybrid model of learning, the guidelines for which are outlined below. The learning model may change, even in the middle of the school year, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases in Sherburne County over a 14-day range.

These are unprecedented times, and the school boards are doing their best with the regulations that exist and the requests they receive from parents. Those who continue to have questions or concerns should reach out to the schools directly and make their voices heard. The only way that these precautions work well for everyone is if there is continuous community involvement in the schools’ decisions moving forward.

Becker K-5

Students in grades K-5 will attend school, starting Spt. 8, in-person, during normal school hours. The school will make use of large spaces such as the gym and the field house to allow students to spread out more. The reason Elementary school students will not be attending school virtually is because the school board assumed working parents would be forced to enroll their students in daycare, which is no better, and perhaps worse, than simply sending students to school physically. Any families who are uncomfortable sending their kids to school in-person, or who have children who show signs of having COVID-19 are welcome to opt-in to distance learning at any time.

Becker 6-12

Students grades six through 12 will follow the hybrid model once the school year begins on Spt. 8. This means that students will spend two days in school and three days learning online.

Students whose last names begin with letters A-K will be in group one, and will attend school physically on Mondays and Tuesdays, and virtually on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Students with last names L-Z will attend virtually on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and physically on Thursdays and Fridays.

Wednesdays will be reserved for thoroughly sanitizing classroom spaces.

Although students may be attending virtually, they still will be required to attend classes at the scheduled time, via an instant video stream. School will be held during normal hours. If any students or parents are uncomfortable with in-person learning, or if students show signs of having COVID-19, then they can opt-in to distance learning at any time.

Big Lake K-6

Big Lake Schools will try to keep elementary school children attending physically as much as possible, given their natural resistance to COVID-19.

K-5 students will have individual appointments for assessment September 8-11, and regular classes will begin Spt. 14.

Students will follow an altered schedule for school hours and drop-off times. The bus drop-off time for students attending Liberty Elementary School will be at 7:15.   School will begin at 7:35 and end at 2:25. The drop-off time for Independence Elementary School will be at 8:45. School will begin at 8:45 and end at 3:40. All students will get a temperature-check upon entry into the school.

In order to reduce the sharing of electronic devices, students grades K-2 will be given iPads, and students grades 3-5 will be given Chromebooks, if determined to be necessary.

Big Lake 6-12

Middle and high-school students will be following a hybrid model of learning.

Students assigned to Group A will attend school in-person on Tuesday and Thursday, and from home on Wednesday and Friday for the first week only, then will attend school in-person on Mondays and Tuesdays and at home one Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for the rest of the school year.

Students in Group B will attend school in-person on Wednesday and Friday, and be online on Tuesday and Thursday, for the first week only. For the rest of the school year, they will attend in-person on Thursdays and Fridays, and at a distance on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.

Though complicated, only the first week will be different, and the rest of the time the schedule will be fairly simple, with each group being in school two consecutive days of the week, and at home the rest of the time.

Students in grades six through nine will begin school on Spt. 8, and students in grades 10-12 will begin on Spt. 9.

Six through 12 students will also follow a new schedule for school hours and bus