It’s back to school for Weiser kids

The school year for the 1,500 students enrolled in the Weiser School District begins this week with in-person classes starting on Thursday.
 School district trustees decided to start the school year with a blended model of instruction that splits the schedule for students between in-person and at-home learning.
 Students attend classes for two days and do schoolwork at home for three days. Students will participate in learning activities five days a week.
 Although some parents wanted the traditional model with kids in classes five days a week, trustees opted for Level 2 as the safest way to start the school year during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 The blended model gets kids back into the classrooms, while also reducing the number of students attending schools at any one time, making it easier to implement COVID-19 safety precautions.
 The reopening plan for schools was based on input from parents through surveys, community and administrator input and information from the Southwest District Health Department.
 In a letter to parents outlining the start of school using the Level 2 delivery, superintendent Wade Wilson said school will start slowly for the first few days as teachers work to get information to parents and students about the A/B schedule.
 “Things will be different for now, and we ask that you exercise patience and understanding as we begin this year in a manner that is vastly different that any school opening in our history,” Wilson said.
 Sports and extracurricular activities are allowed to go forward while the district is operating in Level 2. If the district is forced to move to Level 3, which is at-home learning five days a week due to an outbreak of COVID-19 cases, schools would close and sports would stop.
 The district’s reopening plan says in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 in a school, administrators or the school nurse will notify and seek guidance from Southwest District Health and follow CDC guidelines.
 The district’s reopening plan doesn’t say the school will close if a positive case among students is confirmed.
 Each school in the district also was required to develop an individual reopening plan with details about what COVID-19 precautions will be in place when school starts.
 The reopening plan approved by district trustees requires students and staff to wear face coverings when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Potential times when physical distancing cannot be maintained include riding a bus, changing classes, waiting in a line, etc.
 The district plans to provide a face mask for every student and staff member to use whenever necessary while at school. Numerous community organizations and businesses have pitched in to get face masks to schools.