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Re-entry Plan 2020-21
Return to Learning Goals
As we look to reopen our doors for the 2020-21 school year, the safety of our students and staff continues to be our top priority. Our Mercer School District reopening team has collaborated with staff members and state/local health officials to address the current situation and update our reopening plan as needed. Additionally, we will be seeking family input through surveys to be sent the week of July 21, 2020.
We have the goal to be back in school 5 days per week beginning in September 2020. However, we understand that flexibility will be necessary as the recommendations surrounding containing the spread of COVID-19 may change frequently. Based on this need for flexibility, we have outlined three potential return to learning scenarios:
- 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
View our current reopening plan working-document Return to School Plan for more information on our specific goals, factors influencing our decisions, safety, and plans.
Timeline & Key Dates
We will communicate our planning progress on this webpage throughout the coming weeks, in addition to sending regular family communication via our notification system. As of today, and as described in our reopening plan, our current, board-approved 2020-21 calendar outlines the following back-to-school important 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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If your student displays any of the symptoms outlined by the CDC, do not send your student to school or any school-related activities. Contact the school at 715-476-2154 to report the symptoms and absence. Seek care for your student by reaching out to your local clinic or emergency facility, and follow your county COVID-19 recommendations/guidelines.
We will notify all families, students, and staff of any positive COVID-19 tests within our school community and/or any known exposure to an individual testing positive for COVID-19 by someone in our school community through our family notification system. Please be sure your contact information is up-to-date PowerSchool or contact the district office if you have challenges making those updates.
The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Should our school community have a positive COVID-19 test result, we will take immediate action steps as outlined in our plan. If the safety of our students and staff requires us to move to virtual learning, we are committed to providing consistent, engaging and effective virtual learning opportunities so that students continue to progress academically, no matter where they are or how they are learning.
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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.
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