The Bremen School Board members discussed what the 2020-2021 school year might look like, but too many variables exist to make definitive plans.
Superintendent Dr. Jim White told the school board members last week that it’s the desire to be in school when the school year opens instead of on a virtual means, but more direction will come from the Department of Education concerning that in the next few weeks.
If students are allowed to be in the classrooms, Dr. White said there will be plans in place to keep all of the staff and students safe. They will look at transportation and protection for bus drivers and students and how the students will be seated on buses. School officials may take the temperature of students with touchless thermometers before they enter the building, limit the number of members of the public coming into the schools, review the use of classroom space, and how they will work around the CDC’s recommendations concerning the rotation of classes, lunches, gym, field trips, and class sizes.
If a student is sick and a parent is not at home to take care of the child after it is determined there is a fever, it has been discussed that the student may be isolated from others in a room in the school, but nothing has been decided.
Dr. White stressed that official decisions haven’t been made yet. He will be in contact with the Marshall County Health Department once more information is released from the Indiana Department of Education.
To prepare for the start of school, Dr. White said he’s ordered 1,000 containers of hand sanitizer. He noted that there are some masks available, but he’s ordered more. He’s also ordered additional no-touch thermometers with CARES Act funds.
School officials will be in communication with parents once more is known about the start of the next school year.
