Moniteau County R-1 approves detailed re-entry plan

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CALIFORNIA, Mo. -- The Moniteau County R-1 School District approved a re-entry plan Aug. 5, two and a half weeks out from the first day back to school in person since March.

The Board of Education spent the majority of its special meeting Wednesday discussing survey feedback from parents and school employees and asking questions to better flesh out the comprehensive plan released to parents and staff Thursday.

The district will have three options available, depending on the progression of the coronavirus pandemic.

The current plan is to open in "Green" status, meaning students will be in a regular classroom environment - face-to-face with precautions in place for those students who have opted into the traditional learning environment, rather than the homeschooling or district-approved online learning options provided for those with safety concerns.

In the event of an outbreak among students or staff, the district can enter "Yellow" or "Red" status. "Yellow" status would see schools remain open with partial student attendance, assigning an alternating day schedule for student attendance in person and a possible 50-50 split in each classroom. "Red" status would see California's schools revert to entirely remote learning, similar to last spring.

The reopening plan lists detailed guidelines that will remain in place while schools are in at least a "Green" status.

Middle and high school students will be required to wear a protective face mask when social distancing is not possible - during classroom group work, while in the hallway during passing periods and in the lunch line.

Otherwise, the plan states the district intends to "make every effort to minimize the requirement for the use of masks when appropriate and feasible."

Superintendent Dwight Sanders estimated students will be required to wear masks intermittently for about 20 percent of each school day.

Teachers and paraprofessionals will be provided with face shields and masks for use when working one-on-one or in small groups with students when social distancing cannot be achieved.

"There will still be some that don't like it," Sanders said of the mask requirement, even just for portions of the school day. "But the reality is there will be some that won't like that they're not wearing (masks) 100 percent of the time. We're not pleasing everybody with this plan, nor any of the protocols we have in place. We're looking at how we provide an environment where it's safe for our students, safe for our staff, and we can have face-to-face instruction for as long as we possibly can."

A majority of district parents who responded to a survey about potential re-entry policies indicated they were not in favor of students or staff being required to wear masks, Sanders said, though the survey did not specify a period of time during which masks would be worn when framing the question.

Elementary-age students will see what California Elementary School Principal Gary Baker referred to as "age-appropriate guidance." Younger students, he and others at the meeting said, will be more likely to want to do things like hug their friends after being apart since March.

"We're going to talk about keeping our separation, but we're not going to get a kid in trouble and let them feel defeated or deflated for something that's age-appropriate," Baker said at Wednesday's meeting.

The reopening plan states sanitizing and disinfecting will be a priority at all district facilities, and routine disinfectant of common areas will be conducted multiple times per day. Students, likewise, will be guided to wash or sanitize their hands multiple times per day to contribute toward a sanitary environment.

The district is advising students and staff to self-screen for potential COVID-19 symptoms before coming to school, according to the plan. Students who have been excluded from in-person schooling due to COVID-19 concerns can return if they satisfy the recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the event a positive case is confirmed, the district will take necessary steps to assist with contact tracing, and schools may be temporarily closed, upon recommendation from the Moniteau County Health Center, to allow for proper cleaning and sanitation. District parents and employees will be notified of the positive and encouraged to cooperate in contact tracing efforts.

If a school building must close, all school activities will be canceled or rescheduled, regardless of whether the activity was to take place on site or at another location. Students and employees will be encouraged to stay home until more information is provided by the district or the Health Center.

The plan lists detailed guidelines for a number of other elements of in-person learning, including information about student transportation to and from school and instructions for students upon arrival to school and during lunches.

Sanders said the district's plan is intended to help provide students with a support system that is missed when schools are forced to operate remotely.

"Obviously, this plan is the best effort to provide a safe environment for our kids and our staff, but I also think that we have to weigh other factors, including the students' mental health," Sanders said. "The students' ability to have an environment where they have nurturing people they know they can go to if they need something."