While a complete health and safety plan has not been finalized at this time, the Kane Area School District released current reopening plans for local area schools.
In a letter to parents and guardians, Brock Benson, superintendent, said the plan includes reopening schools for full-time instruction, beginning Aug. 25th. According to a survey conducted in May, 75% of district families plan on sending their children back for in-school instruction.
KASD will be developing an improved remote learning model for families not comfortable with sending their children back to the physical location. Technology, including laptops, will be provided to each student choosing the online program, which will more closely align with the content and pace of in-person classes.
In the letter, Benson also outlined numerous modifications which will be made to ensure the safety of students and staff, including:
•The school will avoid large gatherings of students. Students will report directly to their homeroom or first period class when they arrive at school, avoiding congregations of students during morning drop-offs. Breakfast will be available with modified protocols and delivery methods.
•Procedures for parent pickup at the elementary/middle school will be modified to eliminate large groups of students waiting together.
•Desk arrangements will be modified to increase the distance between students. Ventilation will be increased by opening windows and doors when practical.
•Seating capacity in cafeterias will be reduced by 50% through scheduling modifications and use of additional space.
•On busses, no more than two students will be permitted per seat and families will be required to sit together. Windows will be lowered to increase airflow.
•Students will be required to wash/disinfect their hands prior to lunch and at additional points throughout the day, with hand sanitizer readily available in each classroom and cafeteria.
•Classrooms, buses, offices and all surfaces will be disinfected daily. Additional cleaning/disinfecting supplies and equipment have been purchased and cleaning staff will be trained on the most recent CDC recommended cleaning guidelines.
•New procedures have been developed by district nursing staff, in conjunction with representatives from UPMC-Kane, for individuals displaying symptoms or with a history of exposure to COVID-19.
Benson noted that the executive order issued on July 1st by Governor Wolf requiring face coverings in both indoor and outdoor settings does indeed apply to schools, thus students and staff will be required to wear face coverings throughout the day.
“KASD must follow the executive order, however we are committed to making sure we do so in a manner that keeps the focus on the wellbeing of each student, especially those who cannot wear a mask because of a medical condition,” he said.
The state Department of Health defines face coverings as “a means of covering the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps or loops over the ears or is wrapped around the lower face.” Masks can be made from a variety of synthetic or natural fibers, including cotton, silk or linen, and for the purposes of the order, can include a plastic face shield that covers the nose and mouth. Additionally, they can be factory made, hand sewn, or improvised from household items, such as scarves, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts or towels.
Due to the uncertainty of the future amidst the pandemic, KASD has prepared for the possibility that schools will be forced to close again at some point during the school year. In order to address the needs of students, the district is moving forward with a 1-to-1 device initiative and will have a Chromebook available for every district student K-12. Younger students in grades K-1 will be assigned to touch-enabled devices, while all others will be assigned traditional Chromebooks.
“Our teaching staff is being trained on the Google Classroom platform, which will allow us to quickly transition our entire district to an online model in the event of a required school closure,” noted Benson. “This new platform will allow our teachers to seamlessly continue instruction, following their regular pacing and structure, in a remote environment.”
For students living in areas without high speed internet, the district is currently testing Verizon Wireless units that can be connected wirelessly to the Chromebooks via cell service.
In closing, as guidance and requirements seem to change weekly, Benson said that further updates will be provided as they become available.
