PANAMA CITY, Fla (WMBB) — 83 percent of Bay District Students are currently enrolled in brick and mortar schooling with 12 percent participating in Bay Link.
After the difficulties both teachers and students have experienced with the remote learning option, Superintendent of Schools, Bill Husfelt is recommending the school district eliminate the option beginning next semester.
“Bay Link cannot continue the way it’s going. Because what we have is, we have at least half the students in many schools not doing anything, but the teachers are going 100% on trying to get them to. So it’s wasting a lot of energy and time when those kids really need to be back in school,” said Husfelt.
Parents who would still prefer a remote option now have to choose between Bay Virtual School and Florida homeschooling.
However, Superintendent Husfelt says a majority of COVID exposure in the district isn’t coming from day-to-day schooling.
“Most of our quarantine are coming from outside influences. They’re coming from social gatherings, extracurricular activities, they’re not coming from what’s going on in the classroom,” said Husfelt.
Since this is just a recommendation from the superintendent it will now go before the school board on Tuesday for final approval.