Youth in Clinton will be in the classroom five days a week with a daily early dismissal time in a plan approved by the Board of Education Tuesday night.
There will of course be mandatory masking and social distancing by the kids but Superintendent Curt Nettles told Regional Radio News Wednesday morning on the WHOW they want their kids back in the building following recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois School Board Association.
According to Nettles, after guidance from the Board of Education and community feedback, the district reversed course on taking temperatures before students enter the building and having staff self-certify they are symptom-free.
Survey results of district teachers and staff indicated 92-percent wanting to return to school and be back with kids, provided all the protocols were implemented and being strictly followed. Nettles indicates he intends to strictly adhere to the guidelines laid out by IDPH and ISBE.
An alarming number from the community came back to the Board of Education and prompted them to make a change. Nettles explains initially the district did not intend on offering a remote-learning plan because he did not believe there would be enough community support for one, however, that changed upon survey results from community members.
If a student or teacher tests positive for COVID-19, the State of Illinois has protocols that will be handed down to districts. Nettles explains that will be a procedure out of their control.
Many are concerned about students being able to handle wearing a mask all day and students being able to social distance. Nettles encourages parents to work with their kids on why mask-wearing has to be done and its importance in their return to school and he is confident teachers will be able to keep kids 6-feet apart.
The district released its plans in their entirety at the district website, cusd15.org. Nettles is confident teachers will have excellent procedures in place to make sure kids follow the guidelines and is confident this will work.
