The Webster County School District’s plan for reopening schools includes offering traditional classes with a distance learning option for parents who do not feel comfortable sending their children to school. Face masks will be issued but required only where social distancing cannot be practiced or if principals/teachers see the need for them. School campuses statewide were shuttered in March in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The district announced in June that the administration team was working diligently on a plan for reentry for students and teachers. Superintendent Brian Jones released the guidelines and procedures for returning to school for 2020-21 on Friday. “I want to thank everyone in our school district for their patience and understanding while these plans were being created,” Jones stated. “Please know that countless hours have been focused on us restarting school. We all know that plans change overnight. I look forward to seeing everyone this fall!” Aug. 6 Start Date WCSD will follow the school calendar that was approved in February, which includes a student start date of Aug. 6. In-service for all certified personnel and assistant teachers is Aug. 3-5. The district will also be developing an alternate plan in the event it can’t return as planned. Parents/guardians who choose not to send their children back to school in August will have a distance learning option. The district will communicate more details on this option when it receives guidance from the Mississippi Department of Education on attendance guidelines. “Please understand that these guidelines and procedures are contingent on getting the supplies needed to implement this plan. If we face this issue, then we will reevaluate our plans and also any new information from MDE,” the district stated. “Plans are ongoing and will change.” Details of Plan These are additional reentry details as spelled out in the guidelines and procedures, which are posted in full on the district’s website (www.): Instructional Day Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday will be regular days. Wednesday will be an early dismissal day for all schools, when schools will end classes at 1:30 p.m. The period from 1:45-3:30 p.m. will be scheduled time for non-traditional students and teacher planning for traditional/non-traditional students. This also allows the schools extra time to clean buildings. Instructional Guidelines, Procedures Traditional Education – Face-to-Face • Students in PreK-first grade will remain with their teacher for the duration of the day. • Students in grades 2-5 will remain in their homeroom class and the teachers will rotate classes. • Students will leave the rooms as a class for lunch, physical education, activities and recess. • Classes will be social distanced from other classes when they are out of their homeroom or first period. • Students in grades 6-12 will resume normal instruction with staggered class changes and social distancing will be practiced as much as possible. Social Distancing: While at school, every effort will be made to distance students. Cafeterias, gyms, break and other high-number gathering areas will be monitored to ensure that students are socially distanced as much as possible. Distance Learning • Students who don’t have access to a computer at home may be issued a Chromebook. • For students who have internet and computer access, Google Meet will be available for recorded lessons. • Students who don’t have access to the internet may receive a Chromebook and will receive teacher-recorded lessons via USB drive for weekly grading. Students may also pick up paper lessons that go along with the USB drive. • Students will be provided a textbook and/or workbook to be used at home if it is part of the curriculum for that particular class on a daily basis. • Parents/guardians will sign an acknowledgement understanding that distance learning does not serve as an equitable alternative to the traditional setting. • Changing from traditional education to distant learning education or vice versa will only be allowed once per semester year, unless valid documentation is provided the school principal. • Parents/guardians who choose this option must realize that students will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities. Cleaning, Sanitizing Face Mask: • Two face masks for grades 6-12 will be issued to students when students pick up schedules before the first day of school. • Two face masks for grades Pre K-5 will be issued to students at open houses or first day of school. • Generally, masks are worn at the parent/student discretion, but the principal/teacher reserves the right to require a mask if circumstances warrant the need for additional protection of a mask. • Face masks shall be required where social distancing can’t be practiced, such as buses and small-group activities. • Students and employees may wear a mask or face shield of their choice that meet the requirements of covering the mouth and nose. Bus transportation: • Highly recommend parents to transport students to and from school. • All buses will be sanitized in the morning and afternoon when all students exit the buses • Students will have to use the hand sanitizer provided by the bus driver on the buses before they enter the bus. • Bus drivers will ask students preliminary questions concerning COVID-19 while students enter the bus. • A mask must be worn on morning routes until after a temperature check when arriving at school. A mask will be provided if students fail to bring a mask on the bus. Students will have their temperature checked before they enter the school. • All buses will be electrostatically sprayed weekly. Car Riders: • Students will have their temperature checked when they get out of the vehicle. If a student has a fever they will not be allowed to stay at school. • Students will sanitize hands upon entering the building. • Highly recommend parents to transport students to and from school. • Afternoon car rider students shall be asked to wear a mask if social distancing can’t be practiced. Visitors: • All visitors must sanitize their hands upon entering the building. • All visitors will have temperature checked upon entering the building. • Visitors will not be allowed in the classroom or cafeteria and will only be allowed in the office area or the designated room by the principal. Classrooms: • Social distancing of 6 feet will not always be possible throughout class time, even with the best efforts. • Cleaned daily when students leave for the day. • Electrostatically sprayed every Wednesday after school. • Hand sanitizers in every classroom. Cafeteria: • Hand sanitizers in the cafeteria. • Breakfast: Students will go through the line to get food before reporting to homeroom or first-period class • Lunch: Students will social distance while in line to get food and take food back to their classroom (Grades 2-12). PreK-1 grades will eat in cafeteria social distanced by class if more than one class is in the cafeteria. Students who attend CTE classes will also eat in the cafeteria with social distancing. • Workers will wear mask and gloves. • Workers will serve students their food. • Outside food is recommended to be placed in plain brown bags. Restrooms: • Wash or sanitize your hands before you leave restroom • Sanitizers in place • Clean two times a day or more if needed • Electrostatically sprayed every week after school Employees: • Employees will receive mask(s) and also a face shield for classroom time. Nurses: • WCSD will now employ two school nurses (RNs) to serve the district COVID-19 Symptoms, Cases The plan also spells out guidelines for dealing with students and employees with symptoms of or who test positive for COVID-19, or who have fever upon arrival. Students, employees and visitors who have designated symptoms of sickness, who care for or live with someone who has COVID-19 symptoms, or who have been exposed to someone with a positive COVID-19 test in the last 14 days should not enter any school buildings. If the WCSD has a high number of cases of COVID-19 at one time, then the district may choose to close school for 14 days or CDC guidelines. If this happens then the WCSD will transfer to distance learning for the time school is closed. Faculty/Student Training Faculty: • Virtual learning training for teachers. • Intense training on the first two professional development days to include all guidelines and procedures in the plan. Students: • Students will be taught the guidelines and procedures on the first day of school and will be reviewed weekly after the first day.
