Royal Oak Shrine moves classes to Emagine theater out of pandemic precaution

ROYAL OAK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Royal Oak Shrine High School and Academy is turning to a nearby movie theater for classroom space as it works to keep students safe during the COVID-19 crisis 

The concept is part of a hybrid model, the 7th through 12th graders are divided into two groups A and B.  Monday through Friday...When students in one group are in school... the other group attends class remotely to help with social distancing 

But working parents raised concerns about being able to monitor their child's remote learning. So when school starts next week a student can
do their remote learning days at the Emagine Royal Oak and there's no extra cost for parents.

"We've focused since the very beginning on the safety and health of all of our employees, and our students, parents, and our community," said James Mio, Principal. "Some of these chairs have stands for a student's books, laptops or notebook if they are taking notes."

"We have families that are both working and some that don't have the facilities, they don't have the Internet or the time to be educating students at home." 

Shrine is renting the space from Emagine as theaters experience their own shutdown mandated by the governor to slow the spread of the pandemic.

The school will also provide its own staff to supervise students as they learn.

"They will be working with our own staff, our support staff, our Coach O is going to be doing security, we have our own staff monitoring students checking in with their students on time," Mio said.

In addition to social distancing protocols are also in place to keep students and staff safe.

"They will be wearing masks all day," he said. "So there is a protocol for that, if a teacher sees a student who looks like they are sick, they are required to move that student to a quarantine area."

School leaders say they're optimistic about this concept and how it will work to benefit the school community.

"This is going to be a year unlike any other year," Mio said. "But if we all do it together, we are going to be successful."