Most Conway parents vote to have children attend on-site classes

Conway, Arkansas – Conway Public Schools asked parents what they want the school year to look like, and they’ve answered.

In an online survey, most parents voted for onsite instruction. 

“We chose to send them back for onsite learning,” Jessica Burdess said.

For Burdess, taking Conway Public Schools reentry survey was no easy task.

“My husband is in the car business so, you know, he’s with the public every day. My stepkids’ mom works at a doctor’s office so she’s with the public every day,” Burdess said.

She said lots of moving parts went into her decision.

“There’s a lot of blended families, that’s the common family these days. The possible exposures from one house to the next house, to one house to the next house,” Burdess said.

If her children end up needing to do virtual instruction, she’s okay with that too.

“A lot of people feel that’s going to be what happens with everything changing the way that it is. Thankfully, I am a stay at home mom, and I am able to stay at home with them and attempt to teach them,” Burdess said.

Burdess is one of the thousands of parents who voted to have onsite instruction.

About 25% of the 8,000 respondents said they want to do virtual learning.

“We normally have good response from our parents, but I will say that this had immediate response and it had really large numbers,” Communications Specialist Heather Kendrick said.

Based on early survey numbers, about 75 percent of students would opt for onsite learning.

“I think this is fairly consistent with what other districts have seen,” Kendrick said.

The next step for the district is sorting out staffing and social distancing measures.

“Now we’ll be finalizing that data and breaking it down by school, by the school building, breaking it down by grade level,” Kendrick said.

With the starting date of August 24 still about a month away, the district hopes parents will be flexible as we continue to monitor the virus.

The survey has closed by Conway Public Schools parents can still email their choice to fallreentryoptions@conwayschools.net.