We are sure that you are wondering what is in store for your child for the 2020-21 school year. There are so many things to consider as we live in this Covid-19 world. None more important than the health of our students and staff. We are currently working on a plan to have students in our building at the beginning of the school year. This plan changes almost daily as we work to fulfill the guidelines set forth by the CDC, the Sanders County Health Board, and the State of Montana. Here are some things we know for sure:
Plains School will be moving to a four-day school week (Monday-Thursday) for the 2020-21 school year. School hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. We feel that this will allow us to provide an equitable education for all students in the case that we have to transition our delivery method based on the “phases” the Governor places us under. You can find our “phased” plan and look at the new school calendar on our school website, or click on the following links.
Students and staff will be screened daily to make sure that they are feeling well before entering the building. This screening will be done by our school nurse and support staff. Students who have an above normal temperature or are feeling ill will be sent home immediately. The school nurse will be on site for the entire day.
Staff will be required to wear masks while on campus. Students will be required to wear a face covering when there are 4 or more cases of coronavirus in Sanders County.
Students with compromised health conditions will be afforded the opportunity to choose distance learning options provided by the school district.
Busing will be provided with social distancing adherence.
Participation in high school extracurricular activities will be determined in accordance with the Montana High School Association.
All visitors to the school will be required to check in to the office, and will be screened and required to wear a mask prior to proceeding through the school. All volunteers, guest speakers, or presentations in the classroom will be prohibited until further notice. Meals with students will not be allowed until restrictions are lifted.
These are just a few of the things that we know for sure. The specifics of the school day, how your child will transition throughout the school, what happens if a student or staff member tests positive, and what phase we are currently under will be topics that we will keep you updated on as we get closer to the beginning of the school year. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us by phone or email if you have any questions. We will do our best to answer them but know that we may not be able to be as specific as either of us would like due to the ever changing world this pandemic has created.
Sincerely,
Kevin MeredithJim Holland
7-12 PrincipalK-6 Principal
The mission of the Plains School District, in partnership with the community, serves to provide each student a diverse education in a safe, supportive, caring environment that promotes self-discipline, motivation, and excellence in learning. The school's organization, curriculum, and co-curricular activities are child centered to assist our leaders of tomorrow in succeeding and contributing responsibly in a global community.
