MANSFIELD — More than 1,200 Mansfield City Schools students have registered for the Tyger Digital Academy, superintendent Stan Jefferson said at a Tuesday school board meeting.
According to Director of Curriculum Stephen Rizzo, the number constitutes nearly one-third of the district. Students enrolled in the Tyger Digital Academy will be taught virtually by Mansfield City School teachers, but will also utilize third party online learning tools.
Students in grades kindergarten through 5th grade will use Acellus for video-based lessons, elementary school courses and STEM offerings including coding and robotics. The board approved a contract with Acellus for $61,000.
Students in grades 6-12 will use Edgenuity for “flexible online courses and curriculum,” including middle and high school courses and access to a career technical library. The board approved a contract with Edgenuity for $47,600.
Rizzo emphasized that both traditional in-person classes and the Tyger Digital Academy curriculum will meet state standards. Students in both programs will be need to meet the minimum hourly requirements established by the Ohio Department of Education. Attendance will be taken whether students are online or in the classroom and truancy guidelines will apply to all students. Grading standards will also return to pre-pandemic norms for all students.
Rizzo also clarified the district’s stance on facial coverings. The district will be distributing reusable masks and a face shield to all students and complying with the state mask mandate.
“The current statements that have come out reemphasize that a shield should not be a replacement for a mask. Our intention was never to do that,” Rizzo said. “We wanted to provide both so that when there is a targeted instructional need, when there is a specific need related to instruction … that option would still be allowed under our policy.
“For the majority of time, the expectation is that students would be in the mask.”
Rizzo gave the example of students and staff wearing a face shield during reading or foreign language instruction, or a face shield being permitted for a student with special needs.
Mansfield Senior High School principal Marinise Harris spoke to the board about a “dress down” incentive that a group of 11th grade students proposed last year. The students developed a policy that would waive the uniform requirement for high school students who earned a 3.0 or higher grade point average during the previous nine week period.
Harris said she was skeptical at first, but after discussing the plan with students, she considered it a well thought out, strict plan.
“As we sat down and we spoke about it, they said they wanted to encourage their peers to increase and improve their grades,” Harris said. “They took the time to come up with a plan — it’s a lot stricter than what I would have come up with — but the students have stepped up to the plate.”
Students’ eligibility for the dress-down privilege would be re-evaluated every nine weeks based on grades. Students would also have to meet certain behavioral expectations. Hoodies, sweat pants, shirts that show midriff and jeans with holes would not be allowed under the policy.
Board members said they would be willing to vote on the policy at their next meeting.
The board also:
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Approved a $300,000 contract with Dynamix Enegery Solutions for the construction of secure entrance vestibules at Malabar Intermediate School, Springmill STEM Elementary School and Sherman Elementary School.
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Met in executive session to conference with the board’s attorney to discuss matters which are the subject of pending or imminent court action and consider the employment, dismissal, or discipline of a public employee or official. No action was taken.
