WCPO's Back-To-School Town Hall

WCPO's town hall special features educational leaders from several schools to discuss back-to-school procedures and plans for the fall semester amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

THE PUSH TO BRING STUDENTSBACK TO THE CLASSROOM IN THEMIDST OF A PANDEMIC.

"studentsfirst and then staff rightbehind our students.

That'sour number one priority issafety."ALL ACROSS THETRI-STATE... EACH SCHOOLDISTRICT IS BLANKETED IN ACOAT OF UNCERTAINY AS TO WHATTHE FALL WILL BRING."My recommendation to schoolsis look at different options."BUT AS WE KNOW-- THOSE OPTIONSARE NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.Online learning doesn't workfor most CPS familiesincluding mineTHE ONGOINGDEBATE: VIRTUAL VERSUSIN-PERSON.THE CLOCK IS TICKINGTO PUT THOSE FINAL PLANS INPLACE.GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FORJOINING US FOR OUR FIRST EVERBACK-TO-SCHOOL VIRTUAL TOWNHALL.

I'M TANYA O'ROURKE.NORMALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR WEWOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THEBEST PLACES TO FIND O'ROURKE.BEST PLACES TO FIND O'ROURKE.NORSCHOOL SUPPLIES, THOUSAND GETTHE BEST DEALS.THIS YEAR IS DRASTICALLYDIFFERENT.THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTYDUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.THERE ARE CLOSE TO 15,000 CASESIN THE TRI-STATE AREA ALONE.THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL QUICKLYAPPROACHING, PARENTS WANT TOKNOW, IS IT SAFE TO RETURN...TO HELP US TALK THROUGH THECHALLENGES OF SCHOOLS THEPARENTS AND TEACHERS ARE FACINGARE THRESUPERINTENDENTS.MAT MILLER, HENRY WEB AND PAULKECHUM AND PRESIDENT OFCINCINNATI FEDERATION OFTEACHERS, JULIE SELLERS.THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH USTONIGHT.I WANT TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO ALLOF YOU.I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU HAVESEEN THIS YEAR IN PREPARATIONAND PLANNING THAT YOU HAVENEVER SEEN OR EXPERIENCED EVERBEFORE.MATT MILLER, LET'S START WITHYOU.