Henryetta students will be returning to the classrooms starting October 12.
That was the decision at a special school board meeting Thursday night. The board had looked at several options then settled on two dates, Oct. 12 and Oct. 20 as the day for classrooms to be open.
The hour-long meeting covered three options and settled for the four-day classroom and one day virtual plan. As part of the return, all students ten and over will be required to wear face coverings while they are on school property. That includes while they are on the bus to and from school.
In the event 35 percent of the students and staff at the school test positive for COVID, the school will close down for a week.
Autumn Nail read a prepared statement composed by parents pointing out problems students doing full-time virtual education have been facing.
She said honor students are struggling and parents who find themselves unfamiliar with technology and studies have been facing.
“We know this has been a difficult decision for the board with a lack of information. We don’t doubt the devision to go to virtual was easy.”
During her emotion-filled talk, Nail said the virtual schooling has, “caused stress in homes and inedibility in extracurricular activities. She asked the board to, “extend mercy” for students who have been listed as ineligible due to grades because the school, “has not prepared them for it.”
Under the plan adopted by the board there will be a number of changes at the school when students report to class. In addition for all teachers, staff and students to wear masks, there will be temperature checks when students get on the bus and at the school. “If we find a child with a temperature, they would be sent home and it would not count against them,” Superintendent Dwayne Noble said.
Transportation director Rick Enis asked as many parents as possible to bring their children to school. “They could be on the bus for 30 to 60 minutes.” He also asked parents to be at the bus stop with their children because, “if a child doesn’t have the correct temperature, they will not get on the bus. That could be a problem for a first grader.”
The lunch hour will also be different. At the high school, freshmen will eat in the cafeteria, sophomores have lunch in the gym and juniors and seniors eat in the auditorium. “We can’t follow the CDC requirements if we eat in the cafeteria only,” high school principal Kelly Furer told the group.
She also pointed out that all windows at the high school will be opened and students will be wiping off their desks when they come into the classrooms. Students will not be using their lockers and athletic bags will be placed in the gymnasium. Water fountains will be shut off and bottle filling stations set up.
Noble said the school is expecting the arrival of 400 more Chrome books next week. Those have been on order since the summer but suppliers have been out of stock.