Lebanon city schools change to hybrid model for students due to COVID-19

The Lebanon Special School District announced Friday it will start the 2020-2021 school year with a blended model that will combine in-person and online learning.

Classes are scheduled to start Monday, Aug. 10, for Lebanon's city school system with approximately 4,000 students in grades K-8.

The district plans to use the hybrid model through at least Sept. 4. The district will evaluate whether to return to the traditional model Sept. 8, after the Labor Day weekend, a news release states.

Students in the "A" group with last names that start with letters A-K will attend physical classes on Tuesday and Thursday and connect virtually the other days of the week, Director of Schools Scott Benson said.

Students in the "B" group with last names that start with letters L-Z will attend physical classes on Wednesday and Friday and connect virtually the other days of the week.

Monday will be a "flex day," that can include teacher planning, small group instruction, enrichment, intervention and teachers connecting virtually with students, Benson said.

“At this time, our spread rate monitoring indicates that our Aug. 10 plan should convert from the traditional model to the hybrid/blended model in which students will be on an A/B schedule,” a news release from the district states.

The district will still use the week of Aug. 3-7 to “phase-in” students who will go to their school one day that week with one parent, Benson said.

Students were already given an option to attend either traditional, in-person classes or a virtual option. Nearly 600 students have chosen a virtual school option for the entire academic year that the Lebanon Special School District has offered, which won't be affected, Benson said.

All students in the district are issued a Chromebook computer, Benson said.

Wilson County Schools has called a board meeting on Saturday to discuss, and potentially vote on, possible calendar changes, the district announced. Wilson County Schools are scheduled to start Aug. 3.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.