By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
ELLIS — Ellis USD 388 plans to have driver's education and open its weight room, but what that will look like is still under debate.
On a Wednesday Zoom meeting, the school board grappled with how to provide programming and access while still taking precautions against the spread of COVID-19.
Ellis has 28 students enrolled in driver's education. The district plans to conduct the classroom instruction in the commons with 6-foot distancing of students, Donna Schmidt, Ellis High School/Junior High principal, said.
The class is set to begin on June 2. The driving portion will begin at a later time. Superintendent Corey Burton said the driving portion of the class can't start any earlier than June 15.
"The other part we have been in discussion with and will continue to be in discussion with is masks and whether or not we will require masks and whether or not we want to do anything with temperature checks each day," Burton said.
He said local school districts have not received good feedback from the state or the county health department on these areas.
"I would think they would want them to take their temperature before you get that close to someone," board member Cindy Hertel said. "I think it should be required."
Burton said the school district can require masks and temperature checks.
"I think there should be a protocol of wiping down the car between drivers," Hertel said, "and taking temperatures of everyone who gets in. And if you are over 100 or whatever the cutoff is, you don't get in or go to class. I think it is OK to be proactive and more cautious than the state."
Board President Jared Schiel noted a high percentage of people who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic.
"We could do all we want to try to prevent some of this stuff, but if you are not showing the signs and you're still carrying it, it's going to be tough."
Burton said staff would try to develop guidelines based on the board discussion. However, they could be subject to change based on changes in the governor's opening plan or changes at the local level in Ellis County.
Weight room
The board also discussed when the school might open its weight room and what guidelines users might need to follow.
Burton noted social distancing will be almost impossible during certain exercises in the weight room.
"In a weight room setting, you can't be 6 feet away from them and spot them," Burton said. "If I am spotting a person, I'm directly over them — on top of them. I'm breathing on them or if I start to cough, I'm directly above them."
This might mean assigning students to different times to be in the weight room. They are considering three times for male students and one for female students, but the district could be forced to add more sessions to allow for fewer people in the weight room and more social distancing, Burton said.
Burton emphasized weights are not a mandatory program, and parents can keep their kids at home if they feel unsafe sending them to the weight room.
The district is also going to have to develop guidelines on how equipment is cleaned. Burton said the district was unable to order any pre-moistened disinfecting wipes. It has ordered dry wipes to which disinfecting solution can be added.
The school also has a disinfecting sprayer that can be used in the weight room.
The Ellis school district weight room is usually open to the public, but it has been closed in light of the COVID-19 emergency.
"I know it is a huge benefit for our patrons and community to use that," Burton said, "but I don't think I would be doing my job justice if I didn't throw that out there as a concern at this point."
He said he wanted to make sure it was a safe place for the Ellis students.
Schiel said he did not want to look at opening the weight room to the public until at least June 15.
Board member Randy Honas said he did not think the weight room should be opened to the public until the state reaches phase three of the reopening plan. He said he wanted the school district to operate at least a couple of weeks with students only first.
Board member Marty Hollern said he would like to see how the opening of other gyms and similar facilities go and take some cues from that.
"We are only going to have one good shot at this and doing it right," he said. "I hate to start it, say it was open to the public and then three weeks later say we're shutting it back down."
Burton said opening dates for the weight room all depend on how the reopening occurs at the state level.
"If it changes or adjusts, we will have to pivot and adjust with that plan," he said.
Gov. Kelly did adjust the reopening plan Thursday, keeping most of the requirements of phase one, but allowing gyms and salons to reopen on Monday.
How this will affect school plans was not immediately known.