COVID-19 Update: Possible School Reopening
To many parents’ surprise, Governor Steve Bullock announced he will begin reopening the state in a few days. You can read it here.
STATEWIDE: The directive allows for churches to resume in-person worship on Sunday, April 26, retail businesses to reopen Monday, April 27, and bars and restaurants to allow patrons to sit inside the restaurant on May 4. All of that is contingent on those businesses and entities taking social distancing measures and some of them like salons screening clients for COVID-19 symptoms. Schools can resume teaching in classrooms on May 7, but the governor is urging each district to make the decision for itself rather than requiring schools to open on that date.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS: Many parents have questions about their kids returning back to school. We still don’t know what each specific school district will do. Missoula County Public School is taking the pulse of parents, sending out a survey to parents within minutes of the announcement. Trustees will meet on Tuesday to weigh the different options for reopening or continuing with online learning. (You can click this link for the details of the meeting, which will be updated on Friday, or you can watch the livestream on Facebook.)
REQUIREMENTS TO REOPEN: Regardless of when students go back to school, be it in May or this fall, according to their announcement, they will consider: “social distancing, use of cloth face coverings, and protecting students and staff who are in vulnerable groups, just to name a few of the most critical items.” You can read their most recent announcement here.
The state outlines considerations for each school district to consider when trying to decide whether or not to reopen, including making accommodations for students, teachers, and staff in an at-risk group. If the district decides to open, individuals who are in an at-risk group or have a family member in an at-risk group should not be penalized for not returning to a traditional learning environment.
How schools choose to interpret that directive remains to be seen.
GRADUATION: Bullock said the state would allow graduation ceremonies if school districts choose to host them, but urged social distancing measures must be in place. Missoula school trustees will make the decision about graduation during their May 12 meeting, saying “… we believe it is prudent to wait as long as we can before a final decision is made. Our contingency plans will rely heavily on the guidance of our Missoula City-County Health Department and restrictions regarding crowd size or social distancing. Receiving their guidance will help us plan a ceremony that honors our graduates, while at the same time protects student safety.”
To contact Missoula County Public School prior to the meeting, email Lenora Jacobs at ljacobs@mcps.k12.mt.us. If your student attends school outside of MCPS, visit your district’s website or social media page.