KOLOA — Yes, students at the Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i public charter school will be reporting to classes starting Tuesday, Aug. 4.
However, in the rules and guidelines dynamics of the COVID-19 world, there are some changes announced by the school.
The first change is the half-day model will change to an optional full-day education day, with learners in grades our and six reporting on Aug. 4 and Tuesday, Aug. 11. Learners in grades one and three will report to school on Wednesdays, Aug. 5 and Aug. 12. Learners in grades two and five will report to campus on Thursdays, Aug. 6 and Aug. 13. Kindergarten students will report on Fridays, Aug. 7 and Aug. 14. All classes start at 8:45 a.m., with dismissal at 2:50 p.m.
All learners are reminded to bring their own lunches and snacks.
“These full days on campus will be used as Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i charter school orientation days,” said David Adams, school director. “We will help our learners understand the new policies, procedures and protocols that we need to follow to keep everyone safe and healthy.”
The orientation days will also help the school perform assessments to determine current educational levels of learners because face-to-face education has been shut down since March when the novel coronavirus hit Hawai‘i.
Additionally, parents and guardians can use this as practice for the school’s drop off and pick up procedures that are posted on the school’s website.
“We encourage all of our learners to bring their classroom supplies, including their face masks, during these orientation days,” Adams said. “The productive use of these days will allow us all to be better prepared to welcome back to campus all of our learners for full-day, face-to-face education starting on Aug. 17.”
Bus service with Akita Enterprises for keiki start Aug. 17, and the school will pro-rate fees for August.
Adams said the changes were effected following the state Board of Education meeting last Thursday that passed an agreement between the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association and the state Department of Education to push back the start of public-school instruction to Aug. 17.
“We fully respect these decisions and understand the concerns raised in pages of testimony and hours of deliberation,” Adams said. “The agreement does have some impact on the start of the 2020-21 school year at Alaka‘i O Kaua‘i because all of our facilitators are members of the Hawai‘i State Teachers Association.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
