Return to Learn Plan

Over the past several months, Poplar Bluff educators have gathered best practices from schools across Missouri and the country and solicited input from local health care officials, parents, students, and other stakeholders. The information below is designed to help parents/guardians make informed decisions with regard to the learning experience of your child(ren) as we begin the 2020/21 school year with added safety measures in place to help mitigate risk for families during the pandemic.

Parents/guardians will need to determine whether their student(s) will return to a traditional school or enroll in the Poplar Bluff Virtual Academy by August 14, 2020. Once your decision is made, parents and students will need to visit their school office to complete a Virtual Academy Contract. Enrollment in the Virtual Academy will begin on Monday, August 3, 2020.

Seated Return Highlights

Face coverings are recommended on campus in order to reduce the spread of infection from the wearer to those around.
Protocols have been put in place for social distancing to occur where possible in school settings.
Sanitation stations have been installed in entryways; frequent hand washing/hygiene practices will be built into the school day.
Students and staff are asked to self-screen and stay home if symptomatic; attendance incentives have been eliminated across the board.
Procedures are in place for responding to reported/suspected illness; isolation rooms have been established in nurses’ offices.
Extra cleaning of common spaces and disinfecting of hard surfaces will take place by custodial staff routinely; supplies such as disinfectant foggers have been acquired for buses.
Please refer to our Return to Learn Plan attached below for additional information.

Remote Return Highlights

Students must enroll in the Virtual Academy during the enrollment window - August 3-14, 2020.
Students will be enrolled in the Virtual Academy for a complete quarter at a time.
Curriculum includes over 300 core and elective courses for grades K-12.
Parents of students will be enrolled as ‘observers’ in their child’s online coursework.
All academic content is aligned with curriculum and pacing guides for the Poplar Bluff R-I School District.
Instructional support, tutoring, and counseling will be made available by certified Poplar Bluff teachers.
Please refer to our Virtual Academy website at https://mules.me/va for additional information.