Ready to return

Students in Jay County have been away from schools for nearly six months.

That long hiatus will end Wednesday.

While there will be differences, Jay School Corporation’s goal is to make school as close to normal as possible.

“I think you’re going to see school look a lot like school,” said Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley. “And we’ve worked really hard to make that happen. …

“Coming to school is going to look pretty normal.”

Gulley’s comments came during a panel discussion about the reopening of schools held Wednesday afternoon. Moderated by Ray Cooney, editor and publisher of The Commercial Review, the discussion included school corporation health services coordinator Nancy Snyder, director of e-learning Katie Clark and athletics director Steve Boozier, Jay County Health Department environmentalist and administrator Heath Butz and Gulley.

The full video is available on the Jay School Corporation website (jayschoolcorp.org), Facebook page and YouTube page. It will also be broadcast via WPGW radio.

Jay Schools were originally scheduled to start the 2020-21 year Aug. 12, but that date was pushed back in an effort to learn from other districts that opened earlier and allow more time to prepare during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Part of the result of that extra time is that schools are now set up with social distancing in mind. Desks are spaced at least 3 feet apart. Jay County Junior-Senior High School has arrows on the floors indicating which direction students should be walking in an effort to minimize congestion. Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom.

The separation of desks was implemented to help limit the time masks will need to be worn in classrooms. Rules on masks are as follows:

•Not required in school for students in kindergarten through third grade.

•Required for students in fourth through 12th grade when social distance (defined by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s executive order as 3 to 6 feet) cannot be maintained.

•Masks must be worn during passing periods and while standing in lines, such as for lunch.

•All students must wear a mask while riding a bus, regardless of age.

In addition to precautions in schools, parents are being asked to screen their students for illness every morning. COVID-19 symptoms to look for include fever, sore throat, cough and shortness of breath. Detailed information about parent screening is available on the Jay Schools website.

“If your child is ill, keep them home,” said Snyder. “That’s just going to be so important that parents take that extra caution step and keep their children home if they’re not feeling well.”

What happens when a student or teacher is diagnosed with COVID-19?

The health department will be contacted in order to assess risk factors for students and employees in the building.

Seating charts will be used to help determine those who may have had close contact with the infected individual. The health department will also look at factors such as overall community spread in order to determine who needs to be excluded from school and whether a building needs to be closed.

Butz emphasized that wearing masks, social distancing, frequent hand washing and other health-conscious behaviors will help avoid the need for closures. He added that around the state problems have often started outside of school — at parties or other large gatherings — and led to the need to close buildings.

“It’s important that we do the things we need to be doing both in school and out of school,” he said.

While the majority of students will be returning to their classrooms next week, about 13 percent of the Jay Schools enrollment will be using the virtual option.

Clark explained that 10 teachers, including a special education teacher, are assigned to the elementary school grades. Junior and senior high teachers will be handling classes in rotation, both virtually via Google Meets and by helping students with online learning through the Edmentum program.

One of the key differences, she said, is that staff has had the summer to plan virtual learning, as opposed to when adjustments had to be made on the fly when schools were closed in March.

“We’ve really focused on communication and improving that,” Clark said. “Our lessons are being created with a digital format in mind.”

Much has changed in the area of athletics as well, for both athletes and spectators.

Athletes who are not participating are required to wear masks. Ticket sales are limited and are handled in advance only in Jay County, with fans required to social distance at outdoor venues and wear masks at all indoor events.

Boozier noted that ticket policies differ for every sporting event held away from Jay County.

“It’s kind of a conglomeration of plans,” he said. “Every time we go on the road, it’s a little bit of a different variation.”

As parents and students prepare for school to begin, Gulley emphasized the importance of having a plan. The situation is fluid, he said, and curveballs could come at any time. (He offered the example of a bus not being available if a driver tests positive and there is no time to find a replacement.)

He asked that parents review information, including frequently asked questions and parent resources, that have been made available on the Jay School Corporation website.

The goal, he said, is to provide students with as close to a traditional educational experience as possible as long as circumstances allow.

“We’re just very excited to get these kids back,” Gulley added. “Our kids need our schools. And we’re going to keep these schools open as long as we can for those who can come and take care of those who can’t come until they can.”