Here’s what Madison, Sugar-Salem school district’s reopening plans look like
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REXBURG — Two Madison County school districts recently announced their plans for reopening schools amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
A letter addressed to Sugar City parents and patrons on July 30 by Superintendent Chester Bradshaw explains the Sugar-Salem School District 322 reopening plan. Madison School District 321 also shared their reopening plan in a message from Superintendent Dr. Geoff Thomas to the district’s parents and staff in early August.
Both letters said that they believe face-to-face instruction is the most effective way for students to learn. But during these uncertain times, they explained that they will take steps to protect the health and safety of their students and staff.
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“We still believe that we can meet the safety protocols for our students and teachers and provide a school experience that will operate very similar to what we (are) familiar with,” Bradshaw said in the letter.
Sugar-Salem School Joint District 322
Sugar-Salem’s reopening plan has three phases. The district, which officially started school Wednesday, is currently in phase one. In that phase, in-person instruction is emphasized with additional precautions in place.
“In keeping with the Eastern Idaho Public Health COVID-19 Regional Response Plan, students are allowed to wear masks to help prevent the transmission of disease, especially during times that physical distancing will not be possible,” the plan states. “Teachers may encourage students to wear masks in their classrooms when it is appropriate.”
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There’s also non-touch thermometers available in the office to take students temperatures as needed, according to the plan. Students with temperatures above 100 degrees, or other unexplained symptoms, will be sent to the school’s quarantine room to wait for parents to pick them up.
In certain situations, such as if EIPH moves both Madison and Fremont counties (the district intersects both counties) to the “moderate risk” level of the response plan, the district will move to phase two. In this phase, an alternating day schedule for students to attend school in-person will go into effect.
If Madison and Fremont Counties advance to the “critical risk” level of the response plan, the district will move to phase three and enact a soft closure of schools and students will do online learning.
Right now, Madison County is in the “minimal risk” or lowest level of the EIPH response plan and Fremont is in the “moderate risk” level with a face-covering mandate in place.
“We are committed to providing the best possible experience that we can for everyone involved,” Bradshaw said in the letter. “This pandemic continues to be fluid. As such, we will continue to be responsive and adapt to the existing circumstances, as the situation demands.”
Madison School District 321
Madison School District 321 is providing three different options for their students to learn when school starts Aug. 26. Students can attend school full-time in-person, do full-time online learning or a dual-enrolled hybrid model.
In the dual-enrolled hybrid model, if a student becomes sick and needs to stay at home for more than 12 days, they can switch to the online option and return to school once they become healthy. Or, a student can choose to attend school part-time during the day and then work independently online.
“We’re not going to do alternating day schedules and the rational is the loss of instructional time is enormous on alternating schedules,” Thomas told EastIdahoNews.com. “And number two, it imposes a huge burden on single parents and on parents that both work outside the home.”
Similar to Sugar-Salem, precautions such as noninvasive thermometers are available at each school, and the district “highly encourages” face masks be worn by all students and staff, particularly, in situations where they will be in close proximity to one another.
Thomas said if they are told to mandate face masks, they will. Face mask orders aren’t issued by the health district until a county has reached the “moderate risk” level, and Madison is not there.
The district’s plan explains that if a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in the school district, a building level risk assessment will be made, and parents will be notified. The building may be closed for 1-2 day(s) in order to thoroughly disinfect it. After a closure, all staff and students will have their temperatures taken once the school reopens.
“Ultimately, the decision to send your child to school rests with you the parent or caregiver,” the plan says. “We respect this parental right and seek to assist you in your educational decision making.”
To read the Sugar-Salem School District 322 reopening plan, click here.
To read the Madison School District 321 reopening plan, click here.
Fore more COVID-19 news, click here.