There is some exciting and long-awaited news coming to Inspire this week…
After months of deliberation and planning with students, faculty, staff, and families, we are officially returning to in-person instruction with stringent safety protocols in place. Under this new model, 75% of instruction will take place in the classroom, with students and families who wish to continue online instruction receiving it in the same format Inspire adopted in early 2021. The transition to the hybrid learning model will take place at the beginning of Period 7 on Thursday, March 25th.
Our Principal, Becky Brown shared, “We are so excited about the prospect of having students and teachers on campus again. Teachers have been preparing to transition to hybrid learning, which allows students learning from home to continue high-quality online learning, and students on campus to engage safely in the classroom. This decision has been the product of ongoing engagement of all stakeholders at Inspire, and we are proud to be able to take this step forward in collaboration with the students, teachers, staff, and families that make up the Inspire community.” Inspire instituted a pilot hybrid learning model earlier this year with a small number of students and teachers, which has been a successful example in delivering a high quality education both digitally and in-person. Now, we are ready to expand, and we couldn’t be more excited.
We will continue with the 1/8 block schedule we have been utilizing since beginning online instruction last year, a model that we see as one of the primary contributors to student success and well-being over the last twelve months. The 1/8 schedule allows students to immerse themselves in one subject at a time for a 4.2 week period — students will receive credit for 8 courses in total for the entire school year.
Maintaining the 1/8 block schedule is critical to the success of both in-person and online learning and teaching. In addition to reducing the student stress of juggling multiple courses at one time, this approach keeps students learning on campus in a cohort of the same classmates for the entire 4.2 week period. If for any reason there is a potential exposure to COVID-19, it is confined to a small group of individuals, and will be easier to manage and mitigate.
As part of the stringent safety protocols in place for in-person learning, students must wear a mask at all times, and we will provide disposable masks for students in our main office. Windows and doors will remain open as much as possible, and students in vocal and instrumental music will be practicing and rehearsing outdoors. We encourage all students to dress for the weather to ensure that you are comfortable. Handwashing stations will be available across campus, and students will need to use hand sanitizer when entering or leaving the classroom. Finally, classrooms will be arranged for a maximum of 6′ and minimum of 4′ of social distancing.
Needless to say, campus misses you. We look forward to welcoming many of you back in person, and continuing to enjoy online learning with others. We got this.
