News Photo by Crystal Nelson Alpena Public Schools Superintendent David Rabbideau on Tuesday addresses the APS Board of Education during a special board workshop on Zoom.

ALPENA — Alpena Public Schools students in grades 6-12 will return to face-to-face instruction four days a week starting on April 5.

The APS Board of Education on Tuesday voted unanimously to have students return to school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays while leaving Wednesdays as a remote learning day. The board also included in its motion its intent to return to school five days a week in the fall.

Students in the district’s elementary schools are currently attending school face-to-face five days a week. Students in grades 6-12 currently go to school in-person two days a week and learn remotely from home the rest of the week.

Board members went back and forth between whether they should return to school four days a week, with a remote learning day on Wednesday, or five days a week. The board decided on a four day a week option, with input from district administrators, so that teachers could have time to plan.

Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Meaghan Gauthier said students’ learning loss and credit recovery needs will extend beyond the school year.

Gauthier said administrators and teachers also have to think about a quality summer program for students in kindergarten through 12th grade and have to think about curriculum changes next year. She said she needs the administrators and teachers to get that work done.

“I’m worried about our administrators’ capacity and our teachers’ capacity to problem solve around that in this transition without a Wednesday remote day,” she told the board.

Superintendent David Rabbideau told the board district officials have some areas to focus on for the transition, including special education, transportation and the district’s student information system.

He said the district also has some departments that are better suited for the transition, such as the food service, technology, and custodial departments.

Rabbideau also showed the board the results from a survey it gave to students and staff. The survey showed nearly 70% of students and staff did not have concerns about returning to school five days a week, while 30% of students and staff did have concerns.

Trustee Ned Heath reminded the board that when the pandemic started in March, it was all a temporary plan until the district could go back to school. He said the district has to eventually go back to in-person learning and that they can’t keep dragging it out.