Town Hall meeting reviewed expectations for ’21-22
“Our goal is to have 100 percent of our students in school 100 percent of the time.”
Those were the words of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Sheboy last week when he hosted about 50 community residents — including parents, school administrators, Board of Education members and others — in the O’Neill High School auditorium for a ‘back to school’ themed Town Hall meeting. Sheboy and Assistant Superintendent Michael McElduff spoke for about 45 minutes and then took questions. The video of the meeting (available at www.hffmcsd.org) had been viewed 339 times as of Monday.
The superintendent said that when schools reopen on September 1, students and their families can expect to be wearing masks in the buildings.
In fact, everyone in the school buildings will be required to wear masks. And while they aren’t required outdoors, they are recommended for those who aren’t vaccinated. That will continue, the superintendent said, “as long as we are in a substantial risk zone”.
While masks are required, in a change from last year, families will not have to complete and submit weekly health screenings. However, daily temperature screenings will be done as students enter the school buildings, and building access will be limited to only “essential visitors”.
Sheboy said an essential component of keeping everyone in the school district healthy is families keeping children home if they have a temperature, a cold, a cough, or any other ailment. “Everyone has to take responsibility for themselves and their families,” he said.
In the classrooms, physical distancing will still be in place, with four feet between students where possible (at least three feet is recommended by the CDC); six feet between adults and children; and six feet between adults.
“We will continue to minimize supply sharing, and clean what is shared multiple times per day,” Sheboy said, noting, however, that they are no longer required to clean desks between different students using them.
District custodians had refresher training in “regular, deep and exposure cleaning” this past week.
With regard to quarantining after COVID-19 exposures, it was noted that contact tracing will be done through the Orange County Department of Health again this year, and said that “masked individuals within three feet would be on those contact lists, but that vaccinated individuals would not have to quarantine.
Masks will also be required on school buses, but buses are able to run at full capacity this year.
There will be hand sanitizer available in many locations for those in the buildings to use and there will be “gentle reminders” for hand washing.
Students will all still have possession of district-issued devices to use in the case of a shift to remote education — “we’re praying that won’t happen,” Sheboy said. Kindergartners through fifth graders will most likely leave their devices at school, while sixth through 12th graders will carry them to school and home each day.
While water fountain “bubblers” remain turned off, water fountain “bottle fillers” are on, and the superintendent said he encourages students to bring water bottles to school.
Sheboy reminds families that it is “essential to have up to date contact information” at a child’s school, and also noted that with the exception of medical exemptions, there are no exemptions for traditional vaccines this school year (this does not pertain to the COVID-19 vaccination). He said students must have their vaccinations done within 14 days of school starting or they will be restricted from school.
Sports are expected to be back in the traditional seasons, with masks not required for outdoor sports. Masks will be required for indoor sports, and for indoor spectators. At this time there is no plan for regular COVID testing for athletes and COVID vaccines are not required.
There is also the expectation, Sheboy said, that other extracurricular activities are expected to resume in person, with “high hopes” for plays, concerts, etc. One thing that may remain virtual, McElduff said, is parent-teacher conferences.
“We found there was better attendance that way,” he noted.
Lunch is free again for every student this year, with the exception of those wanting a la cart items, or second portions of lunches provided. Elementary students are still expected to eat lunch in their classrooms.
“Our main goal this year?” Sheboy said. “In person teaching and learning.”
