Khanh Nguyen / The Sunflower
Bel Aire retiree Gary O’Neal stood on his deck, the smell of frying bacon wafting up from the grill. He wasn’t just enjoying a leisurely Wednesday evening, though. He was meal-prepping for yet another school day.
At 73 years old, O’Neal hadn’t planned on going back to school any time soon. But now he and his wife Jackie spend their days helping grandson Jaxon and granddaughter Austyn with their online classes through Isely Elementary.
The Wichita Board of Education’s decision in late November to switch to fully remote learning meant a major transition for families of the 13,000 elementary school students who were sent home.