Dayton Public Schools will be online-only to start the school year.
Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli says it’s just too dangerous to open the schools right now.
"If you take a look at a map, many of the areas where our families live are being effected more adversely than some of the outlying areas," she says.
She says DPS has been in contact with the health commissioner and other Montgomery County schools. They decided that even with personal protective equipment and social distancing in place, it wouldn’t be wise to open Dayton schools just yet.
Lolli says every DPS student will have a Chromebook, and every family that needs a WiFi hotspot will receive one.
Dayton Schools plan on hosting technology workshops for parents, and they’ve created both technology and truancy teams to try to keep students engaged.
Lolli says moving to remote teaching shouldn’t add any additional expenses to the DPS budget, and teachers will work in small online groups to interact with students more.
Schools will stay online for at least the first nine weeks this fall, and then the situation will be reevaluated.