EVANSVILLE, Ind. — While stay-at-home restrictions have been lifted, area colleges and school districts remain tight-lipped about how local campuses and facilities will welcome students this fall.

EVSC

Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. spokesman Jason Woebkenberg said the district is planning for "all possible scenarios for the 2020-21 school year."

"As plans are developed, we will continue to follow the guidance from Governor Eric Holcomb, IDOE, SBOE and local health officials and government leaders to ensure the safety of our community," EVSC officials said in a statement

As of now, EVSC officials said they will consider reopening school facilities, using virtual instruction or a combination of both methods. Specifics of what that may look like or a timetable for when that information will be distributed isn't yet known.

Ivy Tech

Ivy Tech Chancellor Daniela Vidal said face-to-face classes, as well as virtual and IvyOnline classes, will be offered to students this fall.

"Our guiding principles as we move forward is to provide flexibility and safety for students, employees and our community," Vidal said.

The college's “Learn Anywhere” model allows students to choose what they prefer — virtual, online or hybrid models, she said.

The campus has been deep cleaned and social distancing signs have been placed. Vidal said protective masks will be given to those in need, and the school will continue to monitor any state and federal regulations.

Further details will be shared with students, faculty and staff leading up to campuses reopening in August.

University of Evansville

Holly Smith, Senior Director of Marketing, said the school has yet to make plans for the upcoming academic year.

She said the school has had a lot of applicants with many of them being area graduates looking to stay in the Tri-State area.

“We are seeing more students from the Tri-State region wanting to stay closer to home and choosing to enroll at the university," Smith wrote in a statement to the Courier & Press. "In fact, UE has received an all-time record high number of applications this year, in spite of the pandemic."

Specifics about what this fall will look like — virtual versus in-person, new policies or procedures and other changes — isn't yet known.

University of Southern Indiana

The University of Southern Indiana announced they will be using both virtual and in-person classes this fall.

After reviewing recommendations from the school's committees, USI President Ronald Rochon presented five immediate action items to students, employees and retirees in an email earlier this month.

They included:

The earliest campus will reopen is July 6.
The fall semester will be a mix of in-person and online instruction with the final decisions as to which classes are best suited for online or in-person instruction still under discussion.
In order to facilitate care for one another upon return to campus, all employees and students are instructed to actively practice social distancing and good hygiene, and are strongly encouraged to wear face masks on campus.
Children will not be permitted on campus until further notice. As previously noted, all summer camps have been canceled.

Rochon said administrators will continue to review the list of recommendations as the school moves toward a plan for a safe and orderly return to campus.

Warrick County School Corp.

No plans have been set in the Warrick County School Corp., but Superintendent Brad Schneider said administrators are weighing a variety of options.

"We're still dealing with a lot of unknowns," he said, "so we'll continue to generate alternatives for different scenarios."

Schneider said the corporation is thinking about limiting classrooms, enforcing the use of protective masks, analyzing the cost for COVID-19 testing and postponing the start to next school year.

The decision, Schneider said, is contingent on the status of the pandemic and the direction from state and federal health officials.

"I don't think anyone knows at this point, we don't know what type of obstacles or orders we're going to be under. I don't think anyone can make a well-informed decision of what August is going to look like."

Evansville Diocese

The Diocese of Evansville Catholic Schools Office is working to finalize initial plans for the reopening of school buildings, as well as a tentative schedule for the start of the 2020-21 school year although nothing has been finalized.

"The health and well-being of the students, faculty and staff are at the core of every decision," Communications Director Tim Lilley said. "Preparations and directives will not be a one-size-fits-all approach for the diocese’s 26 Catholic schools, which are located in eight of our 12 counties."

Mount Vernon

On the Metropolitan School District of Mount Vernon's website, the district posted a written statement from Superintendent Matt Thompson, signaling a way for students to return to schools next year.

The corporation is developing a plan for both in-person and virtual classes, which will be dictated by Gov. Holcomb's orders, the letter said. Teachers are also training to implement eLearning lessons if necessary in the fall, Thompson said.

If eLearning is mandated, he said, the district will take steps to ensure students are still getting a valuable education.

Those steps include:

Every student will receive an electronic device to take home
Satellite locations with Wi-Fi for those without access
Instructions to parents and students on how to access Google Classroom and Google Meet will be provided
Teachers will record lessons and post them in Google Classroom
Paper packets will still be available upon request

"No matter what the fall throws at us, we will be prepared to deliver the best education possible to your student," Thompson wrote. "We have the best teachers, and they are working hard to ensure our students don’t miss a beat."

Plans for reopening Evansville-area schools, colleges still unclear