Some districts begin releasing plans for fall instruction

(FOX 2) - School districts in metro Detroit are starting to release their plans for learning this fall amid the coronavirus pandemic. And for some, that includes options for in-person and online schooling come September.

For example, back in May, the West Bloomfield School District got busy constructing a roadmap to provide other options to in-person learning. This school district calls it Lakers Online.

"We really could see that it was not going to be a normal return to school in August," Deanna Barash, the assistant superintendent of Teaching and Learning with West Bloomfield Schools said. "It's really the ability to learn from their teacher face-to-face while in separate environments but also to interact with their classmates."

Think of it like Zoom for schools. It will be taught by West Bloomfield teachers. 

"We bought new Chromebooks for every single student across the district," Barash said.

In the nearby Waterford School District, administrators are also ramping up their online instruction program called Edgenuity. The program often used for the district's summer school program but it will now be used to create a virtual academy.

"Every kid will have their own device who does this and connectivity," said superintendent Scott Lindberg. "A neat piece about this program is they're going to be able to move to move at own pace and our teachers will be following them and making connections."

"Given where we're at, it's so important that we offer options," he added.

One benefit of the online program at West Bloomfield is that it opens its school district to students all across Oakland County.

"We want to make sure all students and families from across Oakland County had the opportunity to participate in our online coursework if they so chose," Barash said. "That application is open now through August 3."