Mt. Pleasant discusses move to hybrid learning model

MT. PLEASANT - With coronavirus cases in Southeast Iowa continuing to rise, Mt. Pleasant Community School District Superintendent John Henriksen said the district is keeping a close eye on case numbers and discussing with administrators what a potential transition into a hybrid learning model may look like.

However, the district has decided not to make a transition to the new learning model at this time.

'We've had conversations. Everybody is aware that if we have to transition, what are the steps,” he said.

According to the district's return-to-learn plan, a switch to the hybrid model would be triggered if the county positivity rate were between 15 and 20 percent and the district was a 10 percent absenteeism rate among students expected for in-person learning. The absenteeism rate is determined only by students out due to illness and does not include those quarantined due to potential exposure to the virus.

As of Thursday afternoon, the state coronavirus website notes Henry County has a 18.4 percent positivity rate across a 14-day average and reports a total of 1,246 cases within the county.

Henriksen said daily attendance rates at the Mt. Pleasant schools remain 'relatively high,” ranging from 95 to 97 percent. The superintendent added the district has had to deal with 'sickness hitting our adults a little harder.”

While attendance rates have remained high, schools across the district have seen a recent rise in students quarantined due to potential exposure to the virus. On Thursday, 33 high school students, 16 middle school students and at least 32 elementary school students were out due to quarantine, according to data provided by the school buildings on the district website.

In the case the entire district would go to a hybrid model, the district's return-to-learn plan states pre-K through fifth-grade students continue to attend in-person every day while grades six through 12 would alternate in-person attendance and virtual learning. Henriksen said the goal would be to reduce class sizes to 15 students.

'At the elementary level, we would just spread out in the building and use all spaces available - the library, the music room, the art room - to have fewer kids together in one space,” he said.

Should the district decide going to hybrid is necessary, Henriksen said the district has a level of flexibility in implementing the learning model and would most likely opt to go hybrid in specific school buildings or grade levels rather than implementing a districtwide switch.

'We would like to address where the issue is [rather] than go across the whole district,” Henriksen said.