Kalamazoo schools explores move to hybrid classes

Less than a month into the new school year, Kalamazoo Public Schools leaders are already worrying about what may come next.

During a meeting Tuesday night, the KPS Board of Education discussed a plan to move from online-only classes to a hybrid option that would have students taking classes online two days per week and in-person two days per week.

As it stands the district would have students move to the hybrid model on November 30 after the first trimester ends, but district leaders say that decision ultimately depends on COVID-19 data and what students’ parents want.

“We are going to have to make some really hard decisions and the district will make the decision based on what we calculate to be best for the majority of our students,” Superintendent Rita Raichoudhuri said during the meeting.

The district plans listening sessions early in October to get a feel for what parents and others think about hybrid classes. The district expects to make a decision about its second trimester plans by October 22.