Sikeston R-6 releases plan for reopening school; Other districts also focusing on re-entry

SIKESTON — With the start of the new school year just over a month away, many area school districts continue to work on their ever-changing reopening plans and are beginning to share those details with their families.

One message emphasized by all school officials: These plans could change at any time between now and the start of school based on community spread and recommendations by state and local health officials.

On Friday, Sikeston R-6 released its 19-page opening-of-school plan for the 2020-2021 school year along with a letter from Superintendent Dr. Tony Robinson via its district website and social media.

“My hope of sending out a normal ‘Welcome Back’ letter to you all has been diminished over the summer due to the ever present and ever changing nature of the COVID situation,” Robinson said. “It is clear we must reopen school with a new normal. While this is not what any of us wanted, it is what is best under the current circumstances.”

Robinson said he worked with a large committee of different stakeholders within this school district and the community throughout the summer. He’s also taken the results of the parent/guardian and staff surveys into consideration. He’s read through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recommendations for reopening as well.

“The COVID-19 Opening of School Plan is the result of all our hard work to provide the safest environment that still allows our students to learn and our staff to teach,” Robinson said.

Employee and parent/student self-screening and social distancing are asked to be practiced daily. Guidance on staff and student exposure to COVID-19 is included in the plan.

Visitors will be allowed on district property with an appointment and they must fill out a simple screening questionnaire when requesting to visit the campus.

In order to minimize exposure to COVID-19, personal protection equipment, such as masks and gloves, may be needed to prevent certain exposures. Any student or staff member with an underlying medical condition should wear a mask in order to reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19, the plan said.

All staff will be provided with PPE by the district but they can bring their own, according to the plan. They will be required to have PPE with them at all time.

Sikeston R-6 staff will be required to wear PPE when social distancing is not possible, when assisting individual students or small groups of students, when in close proximity to colleagues and while on school buses when social distancing is not possible.

Students are encouraged to bring their own PPE, but the district will provide masks when necessary, the plan said. Sikeston R-6 students will be required to wear PPE: while on school buses when social distancing is not possible, when transitioning to different classes, when in the hallway with students and staff and when working in small groups with other students.

The Sikeston R-6 district will continue to provide bus transportation, but it is highly recommended that families provide their own transportation if possible due to COVID-19 social distancing recommendations, the plan said.

Students and bus drivers will be required to wear a mask on school busses when social distancing is not possible. Disposable masks will be provided for students in the morning and afternoon when social distancing measures are not practicable.

Water fountains will not be used and all students and staff should have their own water bottles, which can be filled at water-filling stations.

Throughout the district, there will be limited access to certain workspaces to reduce exposure to risks and ensure employee safety. Sikeston R-6 will limit group gatherings, arrange classroom environments, and monitor human capacity.

Upon reopening, schools will be completely cleaned and disinfected and the districtwill continue to adhere to all necessary safety precautions, the plans said. In addition to the deep cleaning of the office and school before employees and students return, cleaning steps are in place to disinfect workplace surfaces, chairs, tables, etc. to protect employees and students and reduce the risk of spread of infection.

Parents are not permitted to drop off food at any district facility. Birthday parties and birthday treats are not permitted. Traditionally, parents have been able to eat lunch with their student in the cafeteria; however, with the need to social distance and limit visitors in the buildings, this practice is suspended until further notice.

Students will have recess and will wash their hands or sanitize before and after recess.

All students K-12 students will have the option to enroll in the virtual learning program, Gateway Virtual Academy. Students have until Aug. 14 to enroll in the Gateway Virtual Academy. Once enrolled, Academy students will have to remain enrolled in the Academy until the end of the semester.

In order to provide consistent communication and keep employees and students safe, the district has developed four possible plans for the 2020-2021 school year depending on the status of COVID-19.

“I ask each of you to carefully and mindfully read through the entire plan. I’m certain there will be follow-up questions,” Robinson said.

A Google form for anyone to ask questions has been set up, Robinson said. He will also be following up with a question-and-answer video early next week to answer those questions which are submitted.

On Thursday, Portageville School District released a 20-page re-entry plan detailing its three-tiered implementation plan via its Facebook page.

“Through many hours of planning and researching, we have moved forward with a plan to reopen schools on the scheduled start date of Aug. 24,” Portageville Superintendent Michael Allred said in a letter to parents.

Level I is based on the least amount of community spread and Level III is based on the greatest amount of community spread. All three plans contain the district’s virtual learning program option.

In Level I, school will start on Aug. 24 and classes will meet in person with a traiditonal schedule or parents can sign up tor the virtual learning program.

With Level II, students would receive blended instruction, alternating between in-person and virtual. For example, students may receive in-person instruction on Monday/Wednesday and every other Friday while doing virtual instruction on Tuesday/Thursday.

Level III means the school building will be closed short-term or for and extended period of time with virtual instruction and/or packets of work being provided.

“We are learning as we adopt this ‘new normal,’” Allred said. “Please contact the building principal or central office with any questions or concerns you may have as you review the plan.”

East Prairie R-2 Superintendent Lesli Jones said the district administrative is working to develop a plan of re-entry for the upcoming school year. A plan will be presented to the Board of Education on July 20, and the approved information will be shared the next day, Jones said.

New Madrid County R-1 Superintendent Dr. Sam Duncan recently said the district will publicize a draft plan on July 24 for faculty, staff, parents and students to consider. In a letter from Duncan posted on the district’s Facebook page, Duncan explained the process the district is using to develop the re-entry plan.

“Hopefully our timing will allow us to balance newly developing factors while also providing at least a full-month of fine-turning and clarification,” Duncan said. “… I realize this is not a very satisfying position for us to be in, but I anticipate that even with the publicizing of our initial plan on July 24, we will continue to be vulnerable to changes in the status of COVID-19 in our county and our region. We also recognize the fact that CDC guidelines and Missouri Department of Education recommendations could change overnight and rightfully so.”

Scott County R-4 “Kelly,” Scott County Central and Charleston R-1 School Districts are also working on the reopening plans. Both Kelly and Charleston have recently posted online parent surveys about returning to school.