Re-entry Plan 2020-21

Return to Learning Goals

• Option 1: In-person 5 days per week with safety guidelines in place
• Option 2: Combination of in-person and virtual instruction
• Option 3: Virtual instruction with teaching staff in-school if possible

Timeline & Key Dates

• August 24-28: Staff in-service
• September 1: First day for all students

As of today, there will not be any back-to-school open house events held in-person. Families can expect to receive updates via our family communication system relating to school supplies, registration, etc. 

Facility & Cleaning Guidelines

Facility Use

Our facilities continue to remain closed to the community at this time. Should it be determined it is safe to open our facilities to community use once again, we will share our guidelines on this webpage. 

Cleaning Procedures

Mercer School District has a routine cleaning regimen in place to help reduce the spread of germs and communicable diseases. In addition to our regular cleaning and disinfection, we are increasing the cleaning of high-touch areas and hard and soft surface items throughout the day. We will follow the guidelines established/recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our local and state health departments.

How Families Can Help

We are ONE Team!

We all play a role in not just helping reduce the spread of communicable disease, but also supporting one another through these unique times. We are asking our students, staff and families to encourage our district/school-wide behaviors of being safe, respectful, responsible, and kind as we move forward together during these unprecedented times. Additionally, we ask that everyone continues to practice regular preventive actions (see flyer in English, Spanish, Hmong and Mandarin Chinese) including:

• Wash your hands regularly, for 20 seconds, using soap and hot water. Make sure to wash your fingertips. This is especially important after using the restroom, coughing or sneezing into your hands, and before preparing or consuming food.
• Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, and then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
• As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
• If children are feeling sick, please keep them home from school. Families should have a plan in place for keeping your child home, picking up your child if they are sent home sick, and if schools are closed.

Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of Coronavirus at the CDC website. Those at highest risk for Coronavirus complications are older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems or heart, lung and kidney disease. See how Coronavirus is spread. It can take two to 14 days for a person to develop symptoms after initial exposure to the virus; the average is about five days.

Expectations for Students & Staff

In addition to practicing the recommendations listed above, we are balancing broad safety/health-related measures we can take as a district with individual expectations for those students and staff members in the school building(s). This is an on-going discussion and will be further outlined in our reopening plan as details are finalized.

Student and Staff Expectations

We are reviewing guidelines and working closely with our local health officials to determine what steps to put in place relating to bus, classroom, and open area safety protocols for students and staff. At this time, potential protocols under review include: 

• Cohort model for busing (families seated together and/or classroom students seated together)
• Masks are recommended when social distancing is not possible
• Staggered breakfast/lunch times.

Additional Staff Expectations

Beginning on August 17, 2020, all Mercer School District administration and teaching staff will report to school for in-service sessions as scheduled. The support staff will return at different times between August 21, 2020, and September 1, 2020, depending on responsibilities. 

Beginning on the staff member's first return date, he/she will be required to assess themselves daily before entering the building. Should a staff member report any symptoms of COVID-19 or a fever greater than 99.5°F, he/she will not be allowed to enter the building(s). Families will also be asked to assess their child(ren) before sending them to school and keep any child who is ill at home.

Who to Contact

We appreciate your patience with this fluid situation and we will continue to update you. Please rest assured that we will continue to put the safety of our students and staff as our first priority. If you have any questions, reach out to Sheri Kopka, District Administrator,  skopka@mercertigers.org, or call 715-476-2154.