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Hancock’s school board met Monday night and one of the topics discussed was a recent proposal from State Superintendent Michael Rice to lengthen the school year from 180 days to 200. The hope is that it would allow for students to catch up after a year of COVID-19 related interruptions.
Remote learning has been challenging for rural students in the Upper Peninsula who don’t always have access to the internet broadband speeds needed. Younger children, in particular, gain value from social interaction that has been missing when in-person instruction is put on pause. Anxiety continues to grow among parents across the country that their kids have suffered a lost year and what that could mean for their development.
Hancock Superintendent Steve Patchin says he is not sure that the Copper Country is ready to give up its summer. That is leading the district to hatch a separate plan that sounds more like summer school on steroids. There would be everything from a physical education component to academic courses.
Patchin envisions a program that would accept students from other districts and transition into a more traditional summer learning environment over time.
Other items discussed include further planning for the paver project at the high school entrance set for completion this summer.
