Davenport Schools Start New School Year Tuesday

Tuesday is the first day of the new school year for Davenport Schools. Some students will return to the classrooms and others will learn from home.

There are challenges with any new school year, but Davenport Education Association President John Kealey says this year’s problems are front and center.

“Most people have understood that this is going to be a different year and it’s not just for us, it’s for the entire community, state, and nation,” Kealey tells KWQC-TV 6. “So there are no real rules to play by and that is a very daunting task.”

For Bailey Robertson, who has a child in the second grade and one in kindergarten, she opted for the 100% online option for both of her kids in case of a potential outbreak that would lead to a shutdown.

“Might as well start them off at home because unfortunately because we could get shut back down and then you’re stuck with 100% online and trying to readjust so you might as well readjust now,” Robertson tells KWQC-TV 6.

Davenport Superintendent Dr. Robert Kobylski says he's confident that if a case does occur, that it would only affect a small number of people.

“In the event that there is a positive test, hopefully, there’s only a handful of students and individuals that are affected, then that information goes to the health officials and they do their contact tracing and they will contact any individual whose come within six feet of an individual whose tested positive for a period longer than 15 minutes and if they deem that’s the case, those individuals will here directly from the health department,” Kobylski tells KWQC-TV 6.

(Photo from KWQC)