Cape middle, high school students to learn cohorts by Aug. 28

In about a week, all Cape students will learn their cohort groups in both remote and in-person/hybrid models for the 2020-21 school year, which will begin Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Cape Assistant Superintendent Jenny Nauman said middle and high school principals will call families by Friday, Aug. 28, and elementary school principals will call parents the week of Aug. 31, regarding cohorts. Elementary principals will call parents the week of Sept. 7 to inform them who their child’s teacher will be, Nauman said.

Students in pre-K through fifth grade who chose the in-person option will attend school five days a week. 

Students in grades six through 12 who chose the hybrid option will be divided into two cohorts. Cohort one will attend in person on Monday/Tuesday and work remotely Thursday/Friday, while cohort two will work remotely Monday/Tuesday and attend in person Thursday/Friday. Both cohorts will work remotely on Wednesdays.

Students whose families completed the learning commitment form by Aug. 14 were guaranteed in-person/hybrid learning, if requested. Students who requested in-person learning after Aug. 14 are on a waiting list based on space, Nauman said.

District officials have contacted 95 percent of families regarding their options for the coming school year, Nauman said.  

“As of late last week, 65 percent of elementary students and 67 percent of secondary students were choosing hybrid or in-person,” Nauman said.

Cape High Academic Challenge students are scheduled for the Thursday/Friday cohort, Nauman said, with remaining high school students divided alphabetically.

Middle school Academic Challenge students will also attend Thursday/Friday, Beacon Middle Principal Dave Frederick said, with remaining students cohorted based on space and student need.      

“We separated kids starting with language arts,” Frederick said. “We split the language arts courses in half. The demarcation line alphabetically is different for each section. Students will remain primarily with the same group of students throughout the day as they receive instruction in the different subjects.”

Frederick said remote learning students have also been split into two cohorts.

“They will have scheduled remote classes with their teachers on either Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday,” Frederick said. “These classes will take place during normal school hours.” 

Most secondary teachers are both remote and hybrid teachers, and most elementary teachers are either in-person or remote, with some exceptions such as Spanish immersion and CAP, Nauman said.  

“All students will be required to login and work each day, as attendance is mandatory,” Nauman said.