Maries R-2 starts summer school with 'pandemic' safety guidelines

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 6/3/20

The Maries County R-2 school district is hosting an abbreviated summer school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 1-12 that is only being offered to students who need it for credit recovery or to move up …

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Maries R-2 starts summer school with 'pandemic' safety guidelines

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The Maries County R-2 school district is hosting an abbreviated summer school from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 1-12 that is only being offered to students who need it for credit recovery or to move up to the next grade level.

Due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19 closing schools early (March 19) and students and teachers forced into alternative learning methods, many students were issued their third-quarter grades at the end of the school year at the Department of Education’s recommendation. However, students who did not have a passing grade are being accepted into the abbreviated summer school program that is limiting both attendance and interaction.

Superintendent Dr. Lenice Basham shared with board members during a May 28 meeting — that the public could attend virtually — who would be allowed to attend.

“We are asking only the Driver’s Education kids who didn’t get to finish their hours in driving. There will be two in the car at a time and they will wear a mask,” Basham said. “Then we have 10 kids who are now registered for high school credit recovery.”

Out of the 25 eligible high school students, only 10 chose to participate. They will be spaced out so they are not close to each other on a computer.

“What happens to the other 15 students?” Board Vice President Dawn Hicks asked.

Basham said they can still take credit recovery online.

At the middle school there are seven students participating who absolutely have to have the summer recovery program to move up to the next grade. In elementary school, there are four fourth graders who need additional instruction to move up to fifth grade.

“Before entering the buildings, students and staff will need to have their temperature taken from the school nurse or building principal,” Basham said in her report. “Parents who are dropping off their child will need to wait for staff to confirm that the students are able to enter the building before leaving campus.”

The nurse and principal will be in the front of the high school from 7:30 to 8 a.m. to take temperatures before allowing students to enter the building. If the student’s temperature is higher than 99.9 degrees, they will not be admitted into the building.

“Anyone who arrives after 8 a.m. will need to ring the doorbell of the Belle Elementary Office and a staff member will take their temperature before entering the building,” Basham said.

Students will be expected to enter and exit the building by a door assigned to their classrooms. Ms. Rose’s class will enter the high school at the east door (2-B) and exit the building at the east door (3-B). Mrs. Golden’s classroom will enter the building at the west door (9-B) and exit at the west door (8-B). Drivers education students will meet at the bus shed. Elementary students will enter at the elementary office door (1-A) and exit at the south elementary door (3-A).

Disinfecting stations will also be available.

“We are going to buy some thermometers that are touch-free, so everyone will have their temperatures taken,” Basham said. “Breakfast and lunch will be done in the classrooms, and there won’t be any transportation at all. The four fourth graders will be here one at a time. Their parents are bringing them.”

Safety guidelines in place include:

Social distancing: All students are expected to keep a six-foot distance from other students. Classrooms will have a small class size and students will be spaced in the rooms according to guidelines.

Masks and gloves: Face masks and gloves are available to all students and staff who wish to wear them. These items are optional except for the driver’s education class who will be required to wear a mask at all times while driving.

Disinfecting stations: Disinfecting stations will be set up at all points of entry into buildings and in classrooms. Students will be reminded on a regular basis to disinfect.

Disinfecting of the building: Restrooms, entrances, water fountains and stair railings will be disinfected by cleaning staff on an hourly basis.

Restroom assignments: Classrooms will be assigned a restroom that will be used by only one classroom.

Meals on campus: Breakfast and lunch will both be brought to the classroom. Teachers can take students outside to eat should they choose. Meals will be served in individual one-time use containers.

Water bottles: Students and staff are encouraged to bring their own water bottle to campus. To increase safety, please have a bottle filled with water from home.

Transportation: Due to the inability to social distance on a school bus, transportation will not be available during the June summer school session. Parents/guardians will need to provide transportation for students to and from school.

The district advised that it is their mission to provide students with a quality education at the lowest risk possible for sickness. Class sizes will be low with less than 50 total students attending summer school. Groups of students will be spaced out in the building and different classes will not pass each other in the hall or have school time to interact with different classes. Updates from the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Center for Disease Control will be monitored daily by the administration.

Board members approved of the guidelines that were in place. Director Tom Kinsey made a motion to approve summer school and the safety guidelines as presented. Hicks seconded and the motion passed with a 7-0 vote.

The district has also resumed temporary lunch pickups while summer school is open. The first was Tuesday (June 2) and the next one will be June 9.

“We are going to provide Grab-and-Go meals during summer school at the Belle campus only,”  Basham said. “Our numbers are steadily decreasing. We will monitor the numbers in June to determine if we need to apply for an extension to continue the service at that time.”

Since the district closed out the 2019-20 school year at the end of May, they are now preparing formal alternative learning instruction plans should the 2020-21 school year begin with social distance learning.

“Training will be provided for teachers on how to do alternative instruction when we start back to school (just in case),” Basham said in her superintendent’s report.

The next Maries R-2 Board of Education meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on June 25 at the Administration Building.