By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. —State Board of Education member Ben Jones believes Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson when he says school will start on time in August.
"At this time, it's going to be in person, in buildings," Jones said. "That's what we're anticipating for most of this next year. That's what we're planning on. Plan A is to have our kids and teachers back together again."
There will be a lot of decisions that happen below the State Board level.
"We're dealing with issues that have to deal with local school boards, which is operations," Jones said. "They hire, fire. They have to be held accountable to their voters. We work with them, but for the most part, our districts really do look to the department for guidance."
Guidance is exactly what the documents presented to the board will be, because Kansas has a variety of school situations.
"We have to make it nimble enough," Jones said. "Creating a statewide plan, what works for, say the Blue Valley school district in Johnson County or Olathe does not work for the St. Francis school district up in the northwest corner, or Liberal, or Dodge City, or Lyons or Hutchinson or Fairfield. They all have their unique challenges and they need that ability to create a plan for their local district."
The guidance will come to the state board at their next meeting in July.