The John Glenn School Board will keep the same guidelines in the corporation’s Return to School plan as adopted in a previous meeting.
The school board members held a discussion Tuesday night concerning any updates to the plan, but Superintendent Christopher Winchell said since wearing masks is recommended by the Indiana Department of Health and not mandated, the school will recommend masks, but not require them. He noted that could change throughout the school year if positivity rates go up, or it becomes mandated by the Indiana Department of Health or the St. Joseph and/or Marshall County Health Departments.
Masks will continue to be required to be worn on school buses as it is a federal mandate.
School officials will continue to follow social distancing protocols, and close contact tracing and quarantining.
Restrictions will be relaxed during lunchtime.
Winchell said the idea is to get back to normal as much as possible.
Winchell commented, “It’s not going to be popular if we have to switch, but we’re not here to be popular, we’re here to do what’s best for kids. At this moment, I feel like what’s best for kids is to try to return to some sort of sense of normalcy. That could change in a day. It can change in a week.”
Masks will be available for students if they would like to wear one during the day and school board members hope that other students will accept that as socially acceptable.
“I plan on wearing a mask. I’m very healthy. I’m vaccinated, but I plan on wearing a mask to set that tone in that anyone who feels like they want to do it should do it,” said Winchell.
The first day of school for John Glenn School Corporation teachers is August 9 and students will start the academic school year on August 11.
