Wawasee School Board Discusses Opening Arrangements
August 13, 2020 at 12:53 a.m.
By Alaister McFarren-
Of note among these changes is that school nurses will be staying an additional 30 minutes each day to help deal with potential health situations. Also, each school will have rooms designated for students showing COVID-19 symptoms.
School cafeterias will cover or wrap foods that were previously open to the air, and food lines will have clearly indicated 6-foot social distancing markers.
As for cafeteria seating, at least several of the WCSC schools will have designated seating at the beginning of the school year. Wawasee Middle School will have assigned seats from day one on Thursday, according to WMS Principal Brent Berkeypile, while WHS Principal Geoff Walmer says that assigned seating will start the following Tuesday.
Each school’s cafeteria tables have been spread out further, and individual tables’ seating capacity has been halved for most table types.
For grade levels with recess periods, individual classes will be required to stay together on designated playground areas, preventing any potential spread between groups.
“According to the Kosciusko County Health Department, holding recess in this manner will allow for easier tracing if positive cases were to arise,” said Edington.
As for students riding the bus, each bus will only pick up students from the same school – rather than mixing high school/middle school/elementary school - to help prevent any positive cases spreading between schools.
On the WCSC website (www.wawasee.k12.in.us), families can find a reopening tool kit under the “Our Corporation” tab. This kit addresses the schools’ reopening plans and includes at-home screening protocols, guides for on-campus learning and information on online learning.
In the Student Learning Report from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Stephen Troyer, the board was informed that one teacher at each elementary school will be working with students who chose virtual learning over on-campus attendance. Middle school teachers will have specified times to work with at-home students, while high school teachers will continue to utilize the Apex system.
Troyer added that approximately 150 students completed summer school.
In other news:
• Textbook rental fee increases were approved; increases are primarily due to new reading and literacy program that the board approved in April.
• All buses passed their yearly inspection by the Indiana State Police.
• A $5,000 grant from the Dekko Foundation was approved to be used for the Wawasee Early Childhood Initiative program.
• 1,300 masks were donated by Ed Rock, Kosciusko Community Emergency Management director, to the school corporation.
• Kosciusko County Head Start’s lease with North Webster Elementary was re-approved.
Of note among these changes is that school nurses will be staying an additional 30 minutes each day to help deal with potential health situations. Also, each school will have rooms designated for students showing COVID-19 symptoms.
School cafeterias will cover or wrap foods that were previously open to the air, and food lines will have clearly indicated 6-foot social distancing markers.
As for cafeteria seating, at least several of the WCSC schools will have designated seating at the beginning of the school year. Wawasee Middle School will have assigned seats from day one on Thursday, according to WMS Principal Brent Berkeypile, while WHS Principal Geoff Walmer says that assigned seating will start the following Tuesday.
Each school’s cafeteria tables have been spread out further, and individual tables’ seating capacity has been halved for most table types.
For grade levels with recess periods, individual classes will be required to stay together on designated playground areas, preventing any potential spread between groups.
“According to the Kosciusko County Health Department, holding recess in this manner will allow for easier tracing if positive cases were to arise,” said Edington.
As for students riding the bus, each bus will only pick up students from the same school – rather than mixing high school/middle school/elementary school - to help prevent any positive cases spreading between schools.
On the WCSC website (www.wawasee.k12.in.us), families can find a reopening tool kit under the “Our Corporation” tab. This kit addresses the schools’ reopening plans and includes at-home screening protocols, guides for on-campus learning and information on online learning.
In the Student Learning Report from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Stephen Troyer, the board was informed that one teacher at each elementary school will be working with students who chose virtual learning over on-campus attendance. Middle school teachers will have specified times to work with at-home students, while high school teachers will continue to utilize the Apex system.
Troyer added that approximately 150 students completed summer school.
In other news:
• Textbook rental fee increases were approved; increases are primarily due to new reading and literacy program that the board approved in April.
• All buses passed their yearly inspection by the Indiana State Police.
• A $5,000 grant from the Dekko Foundation was approved to be used for the Wawasee Early Childhood Initiative program.
• 1,300 masks were donated by Ed Rock, Kosciusko Community Emergency Management director, to the school corporation.
• Kosciusko County Head Start’s lease with North Webster Elementary was re-approved.
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