The Dale Board of Education has agreed to begin school on Wednesday, Aug. 12, and members also approved a revised calendar for the 2020-2021 school year.
Students in second grade and above and all employees of the district will be required to wear masks, school officials said.
The board took the action following a lengthy discussion during a special meeting held last Thursday, July 16.
Acting School Superintendent Ky Wilkins told the board, “This is a big deal. The challenge is there is such a gap between what people think and believe.
“Our concern is about protecting our 800 kids and all of our staff, our family. We want to start school and open the doors. But there are things we need to hammer out,” he added.
Wilkins cited what he termed “two big things.” He said those were wearing masks and “What if we have some who test positive.”
He indicated, “The State Board of Education meets this week and they may vote on some kind of mandate on masks.”
Elementary Principal Bruce Throckmorton said Ky, he and other staff had talked and thought those in second grade and above should wear masks. “Second graders through fifth graders are in one building, Pre-K through first graders are in another building,” he advised.
He mentioned, “There’s been a lot of work by Ky, Carren Cantrell, Charlie who just retired at the end of June and others. We have good people in charge,” he believes.
Wilkins noted they will provide the traditional classroom instruction and online will be offered as well. “We’ve done some professional training. I think we should require the students to have two weeks of online training at school,” he explained.
“The system can be used here at school, too.”
Administrators, staff and board members discussed various scenarios that could occur during the school year. They talked about attendance in light of students who might come down with COVID-19 and how that might play out.
Wilkins told the board, “There will be some leniency on it. But we can monitor how long a student, who is home receiving instruction virtually, is on the system.”
He believes the state board also will provide some guidance on attendance policy.
“The fear for me is if we get another flareup. This is a big time challenge,” he stressed.
Wilkins emphasized, “We’re not going to let a student go back and forth between traditional and virtual.”
Another concern board members aired was how many students do not have Internet service.
Wilkins and staff members assured the board they would work diligently to ensure their students had what they needed. Throckmorton mentioned, “We can send out packets to those who have problems with Internet service.”
Wilkins noted, too, “We’ll put a date out there to let parents know when they have to let us know if their student or students are going to be a virtual student or traditional student.
Staff advised board members, “Our teachers will be here from 8 to 3:30.”
Board members inquired about when a student has a fever what is the plan and Wilkins replied, “We’ll have an isolation area where that student can wait until a parent can pick him or her up.”
The revised calendar the board approved allows for Virtual Learning Days throughout the school year and most are planned around a holiday or break where the students are away from campus an additional day attending virtually.
At the present time, last day of school for students is scheduled for May 20. Wilkins emphasized that much of what was discussed is “fluid” due to the unknowns.