About 30 percent of Fort Mill students are enrolled in the district’s Virtual Academy, but don’t assume smaller class sizes for those returning to school, officials said.
Chief Communications Officer Joe Burke said he wanted to clarify a myth. With 5,200 students enrolled in Fort Mill Virtual Academy, some parents are expecting smaller classes.
“The 30% enrollment in the FMVA does not automatically equate to a 30% reduction in all class sizes,” he told the Fort Mill Sun. “We will be moving teachers along with the students to the Virtual Academy from our existing staff. While there may be a reduction in some class sizes depending on the number of teachers needed for the Academy from each school, it will not be an across the board standard reduction.”
Schools are planning to reopen Aug. 31.
Elementary students will return to class following the Family Model with an A/B Model Schedule for the first four weeks of school. That will allow students time to acclimate to the new learning model and the new daily protocols. But elementary students will return to a full face-to-face Family Model beginning the fifth week of school, on Sept. 28.
In middle school and high school, students will be assigned to the “A Day” group OR the “B Day” group.