By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
Thomas More-Prep Marian and Holy Family Elementary school in Hays are set to return to school on August 24.
Principals Chad Meitner and Rachel Wentling outlined the reopening plan, amid the COVID-19 pandemic for the fall semester this week.
The plan, Moving Forward in Hope, has three possible types of instruction — onsite, remote and hybrid.
Meitner said this allows the school to respond to different situations.
“If we can be on onsite instruction the whole time, we’re ready to do that,” Meitner said. “If we need to tighten thing up a little bit because we start to see things getting worse, as far as the spread of COVID, then we can do that as well.”
Wentling said the school hopes the flexibility allows students in the building as much as possible.
“We learned last spring, while teachers and parents did a fantastic job adjusting in that crisis situation, we know that the best education that we can provide happens within the walls of our building,” Wentling said.
Orientation for junior high and new high school students at TMP-M will be Aug. 21. Holy Family will start school with two half-days.
“We are going to be teaching the students a lot of new procedures,” said Wentling. “Coming to school the way they have in the past? That’s history, and we’re going to have to teach them how to do new procedures.”
Wentling said that time will also give students time to readjust to being in school after nearly six months.
Among the possible precautions the schools will take when students return to school is daily screenings that include temperature checks and a screening questionnaire.
They will also encourage families and faculty and staff to practice habits to prevent the spread of the flu and other illness. Those measures include hand washing, socially distancing and staying home when not feeling well.
The measures are further outlined in the schools plan which available on the TMP website.
That does include a requirement that all students, staff members and visitors must have a facial covering or mask.
The schools fall under the Kansas Department of Education’s guidelines and the KSDE and the city of Hays both have mask requirements. Masks at both schools must adhere to school dress code.
Meitler said the mask requirements, the social distancing and the more frequent hand washing and cleaning will allow for a more normal experience.
Wentling said the Hays community has been fortunate to not be as impacted by the coronavirus as some other communities.
“When we bring all of our students back under one roof, we’re going to be the largest mass gatherings in town,” Wentling said.
She added that they will have to be ready to make adjustments as they learn more about each situation.
“We never had a chance to do this last spring because school was called off before we every had an opportunity to find out what would happen with our students and with our teachers and with our families” Wentling said.
Both principals expressed optimism about returning to school but added there is a level of risk.
“I’m just excited to get started,” said Meitner. “I’m optimistic that we can be together a lot if we follow these precautions faithfully, even now.
“What we do as families and educators and parents can help set the stage for a much safe environment that lets up stay together longer and more consistently,” Meitler said.
The principals said they will continue share more information as the start of the school years nears.