OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Parents and students in the Shawnee Mission School District are adjusting, once again, after the district announced Mondaythat it will transition middle and high school students to full remote learning later this month.
"We talk very frankly in our house about what the numbers are doing," said Peggy Tuttle, a mother to children in the district. "Since I am here at (the University of Kansas Medical Center), our numbers are horrific."
After the Thanksgiving break, her teenage daughters — and all SMSD secondary students — will be back learning at home.
"I think everyone is happy to get their kids home and safe," Tuttle said. "Right now, I do feel like the six weeks that they were doing hybrid, I feel like those six weeks were incredibly beneficial for them to put some faces and make new friends in classes. Now when they go remote, they will feel a lot more comfortable."
She said it was easier to break the news to her girls because they understand how serious the pandemic is.
"They know it, they hear it every day, just by hearing what we are seeing here at work," Tuttle said. "So, I am very frank. Actually, I texted them yesterday when the email came in and just texted all three girls and said, 'okay guys, you are going back remote like we thought.' They were like, 'okay, when?' They were great about it."
The Tuttle girls said remote learning is hard, but they understand why it has to be done.
"I feel like it's for the best honestly. If we could all follow the rules, this will be done as soon as possible," said Eva Tuttle, one of Peggy's daughters.
It's their hope that one day, they will go back to school without having to worry about the virus.
"I would like going back because I like more hands-on learning, especially with math. So, yeah, I would be happy with it," said Caroline Tuttle.
Remote learning for secondary students starts on Nov. 30.
