KNOXVILLE, Tenn — KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Knox County parents have until Wednesday evening to decide if their students will learn virtually this fall semester.
Parents must choose between sending their children back in person, opting for online learning or leaving the district.
The all-digital, at-home option is already sparking change.
Parents are starting to form learning pods, co-ops and cohorts.
These are all names for smaller, independent learning groups outside traditional school.
It's something Shane Pohlmann is trying for her kids this fall.
She wants to send her 1st and 3rd grader back to traditional school eventually but is trying homeschooling for the first time this year.
"With the plan that Knox County put out, we were not happy with it," she said. "I think it's gonna be a little chaotic and I don't want my kids on a computer from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m."
Instead, she's having her kids learn at home with a few other students in a new cohort.
"We are hoping to hire a teacher and have her come to our house to teach with a couple of other students," said Pohlmann.
She said this will make sure her kids have vital social interactions, while also getting one-on-one help from a teacher without going back to a traditional classroom.
Pohlmann got her co-op group together through various parent Facebook groups. The teacher she's working with is helping chose the students in the cohort. Pohlmann said they don't want people who haven't been taking Covid regulations seriously spending every day with families who are quarantining regularly.
"We don't want them isolated to where they're on the virtual and not getting any social interaction, but they're in a small group and interacting so I think it's kind of the best of both worlds," said Pohlmann.
Pohlmann got her co-op group together through various parent Facebook groups. The teacher she's working with is helping chose the students in the cohort. Pohlmann said they don't want people who haven't been taking Covid regulations seriously spending every day with families who are quarantining regularly.
This option can be pricey. Pohlmann expects the teacher they're working with will be paid better than she was as a Knox County Schools teacher.
Pohlmann also said they're making sure all their home insurance is up to date, in case any child is hurt while attending the cohort at their home.