MSD has reopening plans approved
MULLAN — The Mullan School District has released its approved district-wide reopening plans for the coming school year in regard to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike many of the other schools in the area, they took a four-staged approach to their reopening plans instead of the more simplified three-category approach that was laid out by the Idaho State Board of Education.
Under the MSD plan, the school will follow the community spread recommendations of the Panhandle Health District, but will hold school operations under green, yellow, orange and red classifications.
Those classifications are as follows:
• Green. Traditional Schedule (No Community Spread): MSD students will attend school full time (five days/week normal schedule) with the implementation of reasonable procedures in accordance with health guidance. A full-time online option will be available for students.
• Yellow. Modified Traditional Schedule (Minimal Community/School Spread): MSD students will attend school full time (five days/week normal schedule) with additional precautions implemented. Precautions will include social distancing to the greatest extent possible and face coverings (masks/shields) required for all staff and highly recommended for students. A full-time online option will be available for students.
• Orange. Blended Learning (Moderate Community/School Spread): MSD schools will shift to a blended learning model where students will be alternating between learning in person and via online (livestream or recorded options available). Precautions will include social distancing to the greatest extent possible and face coverings (masks/shields) will be recommended where social distancing cannot be maintained. A full-time online option will be available for students.
• Red. Remote Online Learning (Substantial Community/School Spread): MSD will shift to remote online learning for all students based on extreme conditions as a result of a local or state stay home order.
Keeping students in pods or consistent cohort groups, controlling the indoor traffic flow, adjusting lunchtimes, recommending mask or facial coverings, and regular classroom time dedicated to educating the students on how to safely navigate a pandemic are all part of the district’s plans for keeping their kids safe and healthy.
With Mullan’s size and enrollment, they can still operate safely with mild community spread, but there are a few places where the Silver Valley’s smallest district will have to be more cautious than other districts.
With combined classrooms, should a teacher or student in the fourth-grade classroom be confirmed positive for COVID-19, the entire combined third-fourth grade classroom may need to be shut down for up to 14 days and that classroom will go virtual.
“The major difference between our plan and the Idaho Back to School Plan is obviously that they have three levels and we’ve separated them into four,” said MSD Superintendent Les Wells. “We wanted it to be as broad as possible, but with solid constraints.”
The addition of pandemic education is a topic that many people may find odd, but one that Wells hopes will keep MSD safe during the upcoming school year.
“We’re going to be doing daily, multiple times a day, educating on how to survive during a pandemic,” Wells said. “It’s the fact of the matter, and part of what we have to do now. We may lose some class time, but look at it this way, if we train those kids to follow the steps that we’re giving them, then maybe we won’t have any outbreaks in one of our schools.”
Wells is cautiously optimistic that their plan will allow them to operate as closely to normal as possible and with their plan now in place, MSD can move forward with school on Aug. 27.
MSD will also be following the athletic and activities guidelines set forth by the Idaho High School Activities Association for their fall sports programs.
The complete Mullan School District Reopening Plan will be published on the Shoshone News-Press Facebook page.