Ready For Learning 

2020-2021 School Year 

Frequently Asked Questions 
 
 
We have received a number of questions from our internal and external stakeholders 
throughout the planning process for the 2020-2021 school year at Mountain Home Public 
Schools. With help from our Ready for Learning Committee, we have compiled a list of 
questions and our current responses to these questions. As more guidance from the Arkansas 
Department of Health (ADH) and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is 
released, some of these answers will likely change. These answers will be updated as new 
information is released.  
 
Here is a link to submit additional questions that we will try to answer or elaborate on in 
existing answers: ​https://forms.gle/YNoXUj2gRdiQZjYd9 
 

Question  Answer 
What day does school start?  Thursday, August 13, 2020 

What instructional delivery method options  MHPS will offer two instructional delivery 
will be available to our children next year?  methods for the 2020-2021 school year: 
 
BLENDED LEARNING: Students who are 
classified as blended learning students will 
primarily attend school on-site in our 
buildings. Blended learning students may be 
required to become remote learners due to an 
outbreak of illness or other event (including 
inclement weather and other school-related 
emergencies). Blended learning students will 
use our online learning management system, 
Canvas, consistently during on-site 
instruction so that they will be familiar with 
the system in the event that they must 
transition to remote learning. Blended 
learning students might also be scheduled in 
some on-site classes and some off-site classes 
if they have transportation available to and 
from school during their scheduled periods. 
 
REMOTE LEARNING: Students enrolled in our 
Bomber Virtual Academy (BVA) will be MHPS 
students who access all their learning 
remotely. That means that they will not 
attend classes on our campuses. They will be 
enrolled in classes taught by MHPS teachers 
 Ready For Learning 
2020-2021 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
through our online learning management 
system, Canvas. These students will be 
taught the same standards with the same 
curriculum as our on-site students. 

When will we select our child(ren)’s delivery  A survey will go live the week of July 6 that 
method, and can we change our minds after  will ask parents/guardians to indicate which 
we have made the decision?  learning model they plan to select for their 
child(ren). This is not a commitment to a 
specific model, but it will allow us to follow 
up with parents who are potentially 
interested in enrolling their children in BVA.  
 
By July 31, parents/guardians who are 
interested in the BVA option will be asked to 
make a formal commitment to their 
child(ren) enrolling in BVA. After a 
commitment is made, students will only be 
able to transition back to on-site schooling at 
the end of a quarter unless the Director of 
Student Services deems it necessary.  
 
Students who do not begin the year in BVA 
will not be allowed to transition to BVA until 
the end of a quarter unless the Director of 
Student Services deems it necessary.  

What if I want my child to participate in  Yes, the blended learning model will allow for 
on-site instruction, but the child or someone  students to work from home when 
in my household is immunocompromised and  extenuating circumstances arise. Building 
a local outbreak occurs? Can I keep my child  administration must approve the temporary 
home for a period of time and then send  move to remote work. 
him/her back to school? 

Can my child mix and match virtual and  Yes. A blended learning student may register 
on-site classes?  for some classes on campus and some off 
campus in a consistent schedule format. 
Parents of these students will be required to 
provide transportation to and from school 
during these transitions. 

Will students be required to stay inside all  No. Some aspects of the regular school day 
day without breaks outside the classroom?  will look different with student safety in 
mind. However, our goal is to have the most 
“normal” school day possible. This includes 
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2020-2021 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
younger students still attending special 
classes and recess.  

If my child attends school on campus, will  No, your child will not be required to wear a 
he/she have to wear a face mask?  face mask at school, but the use of face 
masks for students 10 and older is highly 
recommended.  
 
New information is emerging every day on 
how the coronavirus spreads and the best 
ways to protect against COVID-19. The most 
effective protections include good hand 
hygiene and practicing physical distancing. 
However, wearing cloth face coverings in 
public when physical distancing can’t be 
maintained offers an additional layer of 
protection against the spread of COVID-19. 
The Centers for Disease Control and the 
Arkansas Department of Health are advising 
the use of cloth face coverings to slow the 
spread of the virus. It is strongly 
recommended that adults and students age 
10 and up wear face coverings when physical 
distancing cannot be achieved (6 feet apart 
or less). 
 
Keep in mind: we will follow guidance given 
to us by ADH and DESE, which means that if 
their directives for us change, so will this 
procedure.  

What will bus transportation be like? Will my  MHPS will continue to offer standard bus 
child be required to wear a mask on the bus?  routes for students.  
 
All students age 10 and over are strongly 
recommended to wear a face covering at all 
times while on the bus. It is recommended 
that students under the age 10 wear a face 
covering where practical, due to the bus 
being a confined area where physical 
distancing is not feasible. This does not imply 
that students should be denied 
transportation due to not having a face 
covering. There may be exceptions for 
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2020-2021 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
students with health, sensory, or other 
conditions. This should be addressed on a 
case-by-case basis. 

How will the district provide special  Our special education department will work 
education services to students who are  with students and their families to develop a 
learning remotely?  plan for remote learning that best fits the 
needs of the individual student. Parents are 
encouraged to contact the MHPS Special 
Services Department at 425-1247 for 
additional information.  

Will the district provide interventions  Yes, interventions will be provided through 
(including Dyslexia interventions) to my  our remote platform. 
child if he/she enrolls in BVA? 

Can my child participate in BVA if we do not  No. Adequate internet access will be essential 
have adequate internet access?  in the homes of students participating in 
BVA. 

Will the district provide my child with a  Yes, the district will provide your child with a 
digital device (Chromebook) and other  Chromebook and standard school supplies.  
supplies if he/she enrolls in BVA? 

Will children in on-site classes be required to  We do not have specifics on lunch schedules 
eat lunch in their classrooms each day?  yet, but our intention is to allow students to 
eat lunch in the cafeteria while maintaining 
appropriate social distancing. We’re looking 
into additional lunch shifts, alternating days 
that classes go to the cafeteria, etc. 

Will BVA students be allowed to participate  Yes. 

in school-sponsored extracurricular 
activities? 

I already enrolled in FlexPath and  Yes, our FlexPath students who already have 
on-campus schooling. Is that still allowed?  set schedules will continue to follow those. 

Will parents be provided with any digital  Yes. BVA parents and guardians will be 
learning training?  provided with specific training for how to 
assist their children with online learning. 
Parents of blended learning students will 
also have training opportunities where they 
can learn more about the Canvas learning 
management system and the features 
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2020-2021 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
available. 

If my child enrolls in BVA, will he/she have to  Yes. BVA students will be required to come to 
come to school for state-mandated testing?  campus a few times during the school year to 
take state-mandated testing. More 
information about those testing 
requirements will be shared later. 

Will my elementary-aged child still have the  Yes. Our elementary students will still 
opportunity to participate in special classes  participate in special classes with additional 
(music, art, PE, library skills, guidance,  safety measures in place.  
STEM, computer lab, etc.)?  

Is physical spacing required between  No, however our educators will adjust their 
students in the classroom?  classroom layouts to provide more physical 
distancing when possible.  

Will visitors (like parents who want to eat  In an effort to lessen exposure to the virus, 
lunch with their children) be allowed on  MHPS will not allow visitors on campus when 
campus?  school starts in August. It is our goal to allow 
visitors to return to our campuses as soon as 
we believe it is safe for our students, 
employees, and their visitors.  

Will contracted workers who work at  Yes, but each of those workers will be 
multiple places (i.e. speech therapists, etc.) be  prescreened in the front office before being 
allowed in our buildings?  allowed to enter the schools.  

What is the school district’s procedure if  In the event an individual tests positive, we 
someone on campus tests positive for  will follow the latest guidance from the ADH. 
COVID-19?  We will be in direct contact with ADH. This 
could result in a brief closure of a single 
school within the district to provide time for 
additional cleaning and sanitation. 

What daily cleaning procedures will be  In addition to normal daily cleaning duties, 
added to help prevent the spread of  during COVID-19 and flu, both day and night 
COVID-19?  custodial staff will be required to clean and 
disinfect the following items and areas at 
least daily: 
 
1. Restrooms/Bathrooms: 
a. Door Knobs or handles  
b. Light switches and cover plates  
c. Paper towel dispenser knobs or handles  
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d. Faucet handles  
e. Toilet and urinal flush levers 
f. Toilet and urinal partitions, doors   
(including knobs, levers or slides)  
2. Lunchrooms/Cafeteria after breakfast 
and lunch:  
a. Table tops  
b. Door Knobs or handles  
c. Light switches and cover plates  
d. Vending machine buttons  
e. Drinking fountain 
3. Locker room:  
a. Door Knobs or handles  
b. Light switches and cover plates  
c. Other items identified locally  
d. Outside of lockers 
4. Classroom and office space:  
a. Door Knobs or handles  
b. Light switches and cover plates  
c. Telephones  
d. Desks and seating 
e. Pencil sharpener 
5. Other locations:  
a. Elevator call and operating buttons  
b. Stairway handrails, doorknobs, light  
switches  
c. Hallway door knobs, handles, drinking  
fountain faucets  
d. Hallway lockers 
 
For areas requiring deep cleaning, a bleach 
and water will be used, with a 10-minute 
contact time. 
 
Aerosol foggers will also be used when 
needed.  
 
Custodians will also be required to make 
daily checks, and refills when necessary, to 
all hand sanitizers. 
 
These procedures are subject to change 
based on ADH guidance. 
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2020-2021 School Year 
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Will water fountains be in use in the school  No -- at least not when school begins. Parents 
buildings?  are encouraged to send their children to 
school with bottled water. All of our 
campuses have water bottle filling stations 
that students may use to refill their bottles 
throughout the day. 

What do I do if my child tests positive for  Parents should immediately contact their 
COVID-19?  child’s school building to inform them. 
Parents should follow the guidance from 
their physician and the Arkansas 
Department of Health as to when to allow 
their child to return to school.   
 
 
New questions and answers added 7/2: 
Will band and choir still be offered?  We plan to offer choir and band in the fall, 
although we will ultimately use state 
guidance to make that decision. Our staff is 
currently looking at plans and guidelines for 
how to safely conduct these activities.  

Will teachers and staff be required to wear  Teachers and staff will wear masks when 
masks?  appropriate social distancing is not possible. 
We will continue this practice until state 
guidance indicates that it is safe to make 
adjustments. 

How will parents be trained in the new  Parents who enroll their children in BVA will 
Canvas learning management system?  need more in-depth training than those who 
have students in the blended model, but we 
believe all families need some guidance in 
this new system. Our Family and Community 
Engagement representatives from each 
building will work on plans for 
parent/guardian training on Canvas. We are 
also considering a parent/guardian training 
opportunity during open house this year 
with scheduled time slots to avoid having too 
many people on campus at one time. As plans 
for training opportunities are finalized, we 
will share them publicly on various 
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platforms including the ​Ready For Learning 
page on our website.  

Even the blended learning path will require  One reason we elected to adopt Canvas as 
some access to the internet if we have to  our learning management system was the 
transition to off-site learning for any period  offline feature. Canvas allows a student to 
of time. What will families who do not have  connect to the internet, download 
access to the internet do in a situation like  assignments and materials onto a device, 
this?  work offline, and then connect to the internet 
again at a later date to upload those 
assignments.  
 
We will still have free WiFi areas available to 
families in the event that we have to utilize 
off-site learning, but having the capability 
for students to download work and work 
offline should prevent families from having 
to spend hours at a time at a free WiFi site. 

If I choose the BVA model of instruction for  BVA students will interact with teachers 
my child, what will his/her interaction with  consistently, but the channels of 
a teacher look like? Will parents be required  communication will be different than a 
to sign something saying they will monitor  student who is attending class on campus. 
their child’s progress weekly if they choose  Depending on the grade level/subject area, 
this model?  students will communicate with their 
teachers through video chats, emails, and 
even phone calls (when necessary). Parental 
involvement will be key for making BVA a 
successful experience for students. Parents 
of BVA students should expect consistent 
contact with teachers and must commit to 
maintaining consistent communication with 
school personnel.  

Will additional bus routes be added to  We do not have complete plans for bus routes 
decrease the number of students on the bus?  at this time, but we will release those plans 
as soon as they are finalized. 

Will the blended model include students  Although many options were discussed as we 
rotating for on-campus instruction to limit  began our Ready for Learning plan, we 
the number of people in the buildings at one  decided to offer the all-remote BVA plan for 
time? Was an option like this considered?  families who want to limit their child’s 
exposure to others. Families who feel 
comfortable sending their children to school 
with larger groups of students will keep them 
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2020-2021 School Year 
Frequently Asked Questions 
 
in the blended model.  

Will there be packets available for students  No. Packets will not be utilized in place of 
in BVA or during a school closure for blended  digital work for BVA students or for blended 
students?  students in the event of a closure. It is our 
hope that additional parent training (which 
we were not able to provide this past spring) 
will help parents as they navigate the 
challenging components of digital learning 
with their children. Canvas has an excellent 
parent portal area that provides lots of 
valuable information to parents as they help 
monitor their children’s progress from home.  

Will new students who enroll after July 31  We will do our best to accommodate new 
have the opportunity to enroll in BVA.  students if they are interested in enrolling in 
BVA. There is no guarantee for placement in 
BVA after July 31, but we will certainly try to 
make room for them. 

If masks aren’t required in the classroom and  We will continue to encourage students to 
adequate physical spacing is not possible in  wear masks in areas where physical 
those classrooms, how do you plan to keep  distancing is not possible.  
students safe?   
We will continue our enhanced daily 
sanitizing measures.  
 
We will reduce opportunities for students to 
be in close contact with one another when 
possible. 
 
Ultimately there are no options that offer 
zero risks, but we can and will work 
diligently within the guidelines we have been 
given to mitigate the risks when possible.