KSD adjusting to a more 'normal' schedule

KELLOGG — The Kellogg School District recently joined its Shoshone County neighbors to the east and went back to a full time, five-day a week school schedule and the early results are looking promising.

At the elementary level, both Pinehurst and Canyon Elementary schools are reporting overwhelming positive feedback from students, parents and staff who are happy for the return to “normal.”

“Having students back to school five days a week has been an important step forward,” said CES Principal Jenny Ferreira. “Students and families are happy to be back into a more consistent, normal routine. Teachers and staff members have missed having students in class five days a week. With students back things are beginning to feel more normal and the light at the end of the tunnel feels a bit brighter and closer.”

Ferreira also highlighted her students’ willingness to adapt to things like more stringent hygiene rules, which have been a huge part of them being able to make the return to daily instruction and — hopefully — keep it that way.

PES Principal Mike Groves has been teaching for a long time, and has seen the good and bad from polarizing decisions — although nothing ever of this magnitude, but he believes that the return to regular school has been vital to everyone involved.

“While you can always find that one person who will complain, everyone else, student, teacher and parent is glad to be at five days, in-person schooling at PES,” Groves said. “The data from WHO, CDC and American Pediatric Association show that kids, especially at the elementary level need to be in school.”

Groves even discussed how the addition of extra measures — both in sanitizing and disinfection, as well as scheduling and rules have been cumbersome, but nothing that couldn’t be overcome.

“We had staff members who contracted the virus but in almost every case back tracing showed it was contracted outside of school,” Groves said. “Yep, some of the protocols like sanitizing rooms regularly, spreading out classrooms, revamping schedules, delivering meals to classrooms, and masks were an inconvenience. The benefit of having kids here outweighs it. With the science behind it, when you see the kids excited to see their friends and teachers this is where they should be.”

That energy is also very apparent at Kellogg High School, where winter sports and the relaxation of previous rules have reignited school and community spirit.

“It’s been great to have students back full time,” said KHS Principal Curt-Randall Bayer. “It’s nice to see the enthusiasm in the classes. There is definitely a renewed energy at KHS. It has also been good to see teachers interacting with full classrooms of students. Our students got back into the daily routines pretty quickly.”