Updated Thursday, August 13, at 10:30am
Area schools are kicking off the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year under once unimaginable circumstances. As is the case with every facet of life during the pandemic, the situation with school reopenings is constantly changing.
Below is a summary of the decisions 41 school districts in Missouri and Kansas have made. All of them will require masks for students who are returning to the classroom in person. Nearly a quarter of the schools will provide masks to students and staff.
All districts offered guardians a choice of sending students to school in person, or committing to a semester of virtual learning. However, roughly 30% of districts will begin the year with completely remote learning. Of those, many intend to gradually phase in face-to-face learning on a timetable that has yet to be determined.
The information in the list below (which can be searched by the control+F function on your computer) will be in flux, so look to district websites for the most current dates and directions.
Missouri
Belton 124
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: The district will determine which of four scenarios is appropriate: 1) opening as usual; 2) modified operations during which Guardians choose in-person or virtual learning; 3) 100% remote learning; 4) rolling closures during which affected classrooms or schools are closed due to extensive COVID exposure and subsequently deep-cleaned.
Masks: Masks will be required if students are in the classrooms.
Blue Springs R-IV
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose between in-person or distance learning. Students who begin in the classroom can switch to distance learning any time, but students who begin the semester with distance learning must do that the entire semester.
Masks: Yes, with the exception of those medically exempt.
Center 58
Scheduled first day: Aug. 26
How it will look: The year will begin 100% remote. If that can be phased out, guardians will choose from 100% virtual or some in-person, a semester-long commitment. Students who attend in the classroom will be divided into two groups. Each group will have two days in the classroom and three days using online schooling software.
Masks: The district will provide a mask for all students and staff. Staff will wear masks in shared public spaces; the district has not determined yet whether pre-k through 5th grade will wear masks in “public spaces”; grades 6 through 12 will wear masks in shared public spaces; everyone will wear a mask on the bus.
Fort Osage R-I
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose between virtual or in-person learning. In-person will be a hybrid model where students will only attend two days per week. Those who select in-person learning are asked to be prepared to move to a distance-learning model at any time throughout the year.
Masks: Required on buses. Students are encouraged to bring their own masks, but district will provide disposable ones if a student doesn’t have one.
Grain Valley R-V
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians can choose 100% virtual. Otherwise, grades six through 12 will begin the year with a hybrid model. Grades K through five will begin in the classroom. Students will be divided into two groups: one group will meet in person every day for the first quarter, the other group will meet every day for the second quarter, with the remainder of the time online.
Masks: Required for everyone in the building and on buses who is not medically exempt.
Grandview C-4
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose distance or in-person/blended, but all students will begin the school year in the distance learning model and will continue until notified of a change.
Masks: Masks required for everyone who’s not medically exempt. School will have a limited supply on disposable masks on hand.
Hickman Mills C-1
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: Guardians will choose between distance and traditional learning, a commitment made for the entire semester. Virtual students may not be assigned to a teacher from their home school. Students attending in person will be assigned to a teacher from their home school and will receive instruction face-to-face, by attending school two days per week, or through distance learning methods.
Masks: District will provide masks to teachers. Teachers may remove masks during whole-group instruction and while socially distanced. Students must wear masks on buses, while in common areas, and when social distancing is not possible.
Independence 30
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: Guardians choose in-person five days a week or virtual learning. District has two other plans in place and will use them as the situation allows: 100% virtual for all students or a hybrid model for middle and high school students in which students attend in person on alternating weeks to allow for distancing.
Masks: Required at all times for students and staff without medical exemptions. Will allow students participating in vigorous activities to remove masks in accordance to county health department guidelines.
Kansas City 33
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: 100% distance learning until notified otherwise.
Masks: Students will be required to wear masks when district begins its phased reopening.
Lee's Summit R-VII
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: The website states that unless there is a significant improvement in community spread of the virus soon, the school year will begin 100% virtual for all grade levels. Beyond that, guardians choose in-person or online, with the first shift away from the virtual model for pre-K through third grade being a full-time classroom model. The eventual first shift away from virtual for grades four through 12 will be a hybrid model.
Masks: All individuals over five years of age without a medical exemption will wear masks in indoor and outdoor spaces.
Liberty 53
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8 (Sept. 2 for EPiC students)
How it will look: Guardians choose distance or in-person instruction. Grades pre-K through five will attend at their home schools five days a week with classes no bigger than 22 students. Grades six through 12 will attend on certain days based on the alphabet, and all students will stay home on Wednesdays.
Masks: Masks are required for everyone without a medical exemption. Masks may be removed where social distancing can be maintained for an extended period of time.
North Kansas City 74
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose in-person or virtual.
Masks: Required by staff and students. Cloth masks will be available on the first day of school, or students can provide their own.
Park Hill
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose in-person or online. In-person students from pre-K through grade five will attend five days a week; grades six through 12 will begin the year with a hybrid schedule.
Masks: Masks required for everyone without a medical exemption. District will provide every staff member and student with two reusable masks. Will allow structured mask breaks throughout the day.
Raymore-Peculiar
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: Guardians choose in-person or virtual.
Masks: For staff and grades six through 12, masks are required whenever distancing of six feet cannot be maintained; grades K through 5 must wear a mask when a distance of three feet cannot be maintained. Masks are required on buses.
Raytown C-2
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose between in-person and virtual. All students will be 100% virtual until at least Oct. 22.
Masks: Optional in the classroom as long as appropriate distancing is maintained. Masks are required when moving through the school and on buses.
Charter Schools
Academie Lafayette
Scheduled first day: Aug. 25
How it will look: At least the first four weeks will be 100% virtual for all students. Guardians choose in-person or remote; that choice is binding for the semester. Students attending in person will be divided into two groups and alternate days of attendance.
Masks: Required for anyone without a medical exemption directly from a physician’s office. Students provide their own masks and are encouraged to carry a spare.
Academy For Integrated Arts
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: Year will begin with 100% remote learning for all students. Guardians will choose between in-person and remote. In-person learning will be phased in when appropriate.
Masks: Required for all staff and students.
Allen Village
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: 100% virtual
Masks: N/A
Brookside Charter School
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians of pre-K through grade 2 can select in-person or virtual learning, but grades 3 through 8 will be 100% virtual automatically.
Masks: Cloth masks will be provided to staff and students who are in the building.
Citizens of the World
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: 100% remote at the beginning of the year. The school will phase-in access to the school for support activities; the choice to return to school two days a week alternating by group; and a return to school four days a week, with Wednesday off for deep cleaning.
Masks: Required unless medically exempt.
Crossroads Academy
Scheduled first day: Aug. 10
How it will look: Guardians choose between virtual and a hybrid of onsite and virtual. Onsite students will attend in two alternating groups, but the semester will most likely begin 100% remote for all students.
Masks: Staff and students will be required to wear masks.
DeLaSalle Charter High School
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: 100% virtual until families are notified otherwise.
Masks: When school reopens, masks will be required. The district will provide them.
Ewing Marion Kauffman School
Scheduled first day: Aug. 17
How it will look: 100% virtual first semester
Masks: N/A
Frontier Schools
Scheduled first day: Aug. 19
How it will look: Guardians choose between virtual and in-person.
Masks: Masks will be worn by staff at all times, will not be worn by elementary school students, and will be worn by grades seven through 12 in some situations.
Genesis School
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: The primary means of instruction will take place in the classroom, but guardians may choose remote instruction at any time.
Masks: Must be worn by staff at all times that students are in the building. Grades 3 and 4 will wear masks in the classroom and when unable to distance; grades 5 through 8 will wear them at all times; grades kindergarten through 8 will wear them when transitioning out of the classroom.
Gordon Parks Elementary
Scheduled first day: Aug. 31
How it will look: Students will return for half days five days a week until Sept. 15. Guardians can choose virtual learning if they are uncomfortable with the in-person model, but that decision is binding for the duration of the semester.
Masks: Required for everyone
Guadalupe Centers Schools
Scheduled first day: Aug. 18
How it will look: 100% virtual until families are notified otherwise
Masks: N/A
Hogan Preparatory Academy
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Will begin the year 100% virtual. This will most likely extend through first semester, but the district will update families of any changes.
Masks: N/A
Hope Leadership Academy
Scheduled first day: Aug. 25
How it will look: 100% virtual for at least the first six weeks.
Masks: N/A
Kansas City International Academy
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians choose from in-person or virtual for K through grade three. Grades four through eight will be virtual.
Masks: All staff will wear masks. Students will wear masks when distancing is not possible or when interacting with those outside of their assigned cohorts.
KIPP: Endeavor Academy
Scheduled first day: Aug. 17
How it will look: Parent choose between remote or in-person. No school on Fridays. Families will have the opportunity to switch models at the end of each quarter.
Masks: Teachers will wear masks but can teach in only a face shield. PPE will be provided for staff. School will provide students with cloth masks and shields. Students will pick up PPE at the beginning of the day and return it at the end of the day. Masks must be worn at all times that students cannot maintain proper distancing.
Lee A. Tolbert Community Academy
Scheduled first day: Aug. 24
How it will look: No information available. Check school's website for updates.
Masks: No information available.
Scuola Vita Nuova
Scheduled first day: Aug. 19
How it will look: Guardians choose from 100% virtual or from several phased-in options. Youngest students will start in-person classes first and older students will be added gradually. School officials will assess new phases on Sept. 18, Oct. 23, Nov. 24 and Dec. 18.
Masks: Students and staff required to wear 2-ply masks covering mouth and nose, throughout the day, with few exceptions (outdoor activities, lunch, for example). If needed, masks will be provided for students and staff.
University Academy
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: 100% virtual for the first quarter
Masks: N/A
Kansas
Blue Valley
Scheduled first day: Sept. 9
How it will look: Guardians choose between virtual or in-person with modifications.
Masks: Required by all who are not medically exempt. District will provide masks, or students and staff may choose their own. Masks will be worn at all times that appropriate distancing can’t be maintained.
Bonner Springs/Edwardsville
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Guardians can select virtual learning or a modified in-person model for students. To maintain 50 percent building capacity, students who return to the classroom will be assigned to one of two groups which will attend on alternating days.
Masks: Required for staff and students inside and outside at all times, unless while outside they are able to maintain an appropriate distance.
DeSoto
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: The school year will begin 100% remote for all students. Once in-person instruction is safe, guardians choices of in-person or online will be implemented. The in-person option will be tailored to the severity of the COVID outbreak in the area.
Masks: Required by staff and students unless eating or drinking. Masks may be removed for short periods of time if distancing is practiced.
Gardner Edgerton
Scheduled first day: Sept. 9
How it will look: Guardians choose either remote or in person model for their students. The selection of remote learning is binding for the entirety of first semester, and a request to switch to in person must be submitted 30 days prior to the start of second semester. Elementary students who opted for in-person learning will be in classrooms, all middle and high school students will be 100% virtual at least at the beginning of the semester.
Masks: Required by staff and students in public spaces and on buses.
Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: 100% virtual for the first nine weeks
Masks: N/A
Olathe
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: Middle and high school students will begin the school year 100% remote. Elementary school students will begin the year in a hybrid model if guardians have chosen in-person learning.
Masks: Required at all times in the buildings and on buses.
Shawnee Mission School District
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8
How it will look: School year will begin 100% remote for all students. When appropriate, the district will move to guardians' choice of an in-person hybrid or 100% virtual. Students learning 100% virtual will be assigned a teacher who may not be from their home school. Online students must log 390 minutes of active learning per day.
Masks: Must be worn at all times. No valves or other holes will be allowed. District will work with students case by case who cannot wear one. Masks will be provided to students and staff who forget or soil theirs.
Spring Hill
Scheduled first day: Aug. 26
How it will look: Guardians choose between online or remote. Elementary students who opted for in-person learning will be in classrooms, all middle and high school students will be 100% virtual at least at the beginning of the semester.
Masks: Required when social distancing or “stable cohort groups” cannot be maintained or if student/staff is medically exempt.
Turner Unified
Scheduled first day: Sept. 8 for grades 1 through 5 and 6, 7, and nine; Sept. 10 for K, 8, and 10-12.
How it will look: Guardians choose from blended learning or remote. Blended learning students will be assigned to a Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday schedule in order to keep the buildings at 50% capacity.
Masks: Required at all times for staff and students. Individuals provide their own masks. Anyone who cannot wear a mask must wear a face shield.
Updated Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020 at 10:51 a.m.
