CPS adjusts to new alternative learning methods after pause

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools began alternative learning again Wednesday morning after a pause to refocus its methods for teaching remotely.

Columbia Public Schools announced April 1 that it put a three-day pause on classes effective immediately.

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said the changes made to alternative learning have been good so far, but it’s a big adjustment. 

“It's a big adjustment,” Baumstark said. “They're spending these days, communicating with the students and the families about, okay, here's our new plan. This is what the expectations are and this is when you can expect to hear from me each week.”

Kathy Steinhoff, president of the Columbia Missouri National Education Association and Hickman High School teacher, said she’s been talking to parents and students trying to make sure that they understand the new adjustments and that they don't have any questions.

Baumstark said it’s too early to discuss many details of the new adjustments and the impacts on students but a handful of questions have arisen. 

“We’ve had a handful of parents ask questions specific to their individual child, like what does this mean for their child?" Baumstark said. "Our teachers are doing an amazing job talking to each one of the families and making those connections so that they know exactly what their next steps are for their individual student.”

Steinhoff said the district has planned the lessons for CPS teachers moving forward, but at the high school level teachers are focused on getting students who were not passing caught up. 

“Our lesson planning is really focused individually at the high school level on the students who were failing,” Steinhoff said. “And then the students who were passing, we're utilizing district resources that have been prepared for us.”

Baumstark said the pause was intended to give teachers and district leaders a chance to evaluate how alternative learning will look on a more long-term basis.

Steinhoff thinks this round of CPS alternating learning has a more unified approach than before the pause. 

“We're all on the same page,” Steinhoff said. “The communication that's going out to the parents is very consistent and the communication going to teachers is very consistent. So I think the district did a good job of really preparing for communicating the plan as it is now.”

Baumstark said looking forward at what school may look like even next week is hard to answer, but CPS has and continues to monitor what emergency responders, health officials and government officials say. 

The Boone County stay-at-home order required the school district to adjust its building closure timeline from April 13 to April 27, but CPS stated that will almost certainly change as federal and state leaders have extended social distancing expectations to April 30.

“We'll continue to monitor it and make adjustments as we need to,” Baumstark said. “There is no one solid, 'this is the answer' when you're amidst an ever-changing situation like this.”

CPS has not made any announcements about summer school yet. Baumstark said there’s more to talk about before reaching that point. 

“We also have to talk about what the rest of the year looks like because we haven't made any announcements about the rest of the year," Baumstark said. “Right now we're still extended through return on April 27, so we have a lot of things on our plate that we have to talk about.”

Stay up-to-date on this developing story here and on ABC 17 News at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.