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Teachers on May 4 will begin presenting new online material to students at home — assignments that teachers will grade.
And the district has told teachers that grades in this third and final marking period can only help — not hurt — a student's overall average.
Superintendent William Hite, in a teleconference with reporters, said in this pandemic, students and their families are already dealing with things like unemployment, or trying to find enough food.
"We don't want young people to be punished for things that are completely out of their control,” he said.
It's not a free pass. Hite said if assignments are required for graduation, then that work needs to be turned in. But he said in these times, he wants to be sure students are at least taking part.
"While we're thinking about grading and participation, I'm more interested in children being engaged in some sort of learning process. And I think the grades are things that we're going to figure out,” he added.
Hite said he doesn't think students will use the fact that their grades won't hurt them as an excuse not to log in.