MPCSD begins working on Return to Learn Plan

MT. PLEASANT - The Mt. Pleasant Community School District is currently working on developing its Return to Learn Plan, a plan which outlines steps the district will take in the 2020-2021 school year in light of the school closures. The plans are due to the Department of Education by July 1.

Superintendent John Henriksen told the MPCSD school board at its meeting on Monday evening that 'it's become clearer and clearer … [that] local school districts are going to make local decisions about what Return to Learn Looks like in August.”

'Unless there's a huge outbreak statewide … we're not going to see the governor step in and say all schools are going to shut down,” Henriksen said.

The superintendent added all districts will be working with the local public health department to determine the best way to move forward with the fall semester. Currently, districts must outline a continuous (remote) learning plan which will require off-site learning for students in the event that schools cannot reopen for in-person instruction. The district may also consider creating a plan for hybrid learning, which may see students learning both remotely or in-person for some portion of the school year.

'There will be a local decision as we get closer to that [July 1] date, but I can't give you anything definitive right now,” Henriksen added.

Currently, the superintendent is meeting with various groups from the district including building principals, teachers, district nurses and instructional coaches to come up with the plan.

During the meeting, the board also heard from Tony Swayzer, MPCHS's Iowa Jobs for American Graduates (iJAG) program. The program helps facilitate relationships between students and local employers as well as prepares students for collegiate careers, depending on what a student decides to do.

'Our goal is to put our kids in a position to be successful. Not everyone wants to go to college and if they do, my job is to make sure I help facilitate that, also, after high school, if they want to go right into the workforce. I wanted to make sure that everyone here knows that we're going to sit here and put our kids in the best position to understand every opportunity they have,” Swayzer said.

The instructor added all 47 students who were enrolled in his program the previous year were able to graduate and currently has 29 students signed up for the class, a number he hopes to grow.

'The best thing about this program is when you graduate, I track you for a year. If you go off into the real world, I have all your information. If you have an interview, I probably have all your information - your resume, your GPA - anything you need, I have it,” Swayzer said.

MPCHS principal Todd Liechty, added the program 'hits another niche of kids.”

'This is another place where we have unique kids who aren't involved with anything else, they become involved with this. It's another niche of kids we're making connections with,” Liechty said about the strength of the program.

The board decided to approve the continuation of the iJAG program.

Director of instruction and curriculum, Kathleen Gavin, also gave an update on the district's elementary literacy curriculum. Gavin noted a dedicated group from the district, who reviewed various programs, has decided to go forward with the Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum, which will be implemented beginning the 2020-2021 school year. Both Gavin and Lincoln Elementary School principal Lori LaFrenz pointed to an emphasis on foundational skills as a strength of the program.

The board also received further details on the Class of 2020 Graduation. At a previous meeting, the graduation date was set for Saturday, June 27 and will begin at 7 p.m. Henriksen said details are still being hashed out but the graduation would be at Mapleleaf Stadium.