Caldwell delays start of the school year as it installs COVID-19 protection plans
The Caldwell School District will delay the start of the upcoming school year by a week as the coronavirus continues to spread in Canyon County.
The delay allows Caldwell to implement a new “blended learning” model that comes with several changes.
Instead of Aug. 19, the first day of school is now either Aug. 27 or 28. Masks or facial coverings are required. And the district will use an alternating schedule and online learning to increase social distancing.
Caldwell Superintendent Shalene French said in a Facebook video that the district took the steps after learning from Southwest District Health last week that it falls in Category 2 (yellow) of Idaho’s guidelines to reopen schools. She added the health district informed Caldwell this week it would fall into Category 3 (red), which includes a recommendation to close schools and move all learning online.
“If conditions improve, we’re excited about that,” French said. “But what’s important is that we do plan. School is going forward. It will look differently.”
DELAYED START, ALTERNATING SCHEDULES
For now, Caldwell will divide its students in grades six through 12 into two groups. Those with an “A” schedule start Aug. 27 and attend in-person classes on Mondays and Thursdays. Those with a “B” schedule start Aug. 28 and attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Fridays.
All students will learn online on Wednesdays and the days they are not in school.
Caldwell will also split its elementary students (grades five and below) into two groups. One group will attend classes in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
All elementary students will go to school four days a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. They will also learn online on Wednesdays.
Caldwell spokeswoman Allison Westfall said the district is just starting to assign students to groups and will notify parents soon.
Caldwell will distribute a laptop or iPad to all of its 6,000 students. Students in kindergarten and first grade will receive iPads, and those in second through 12th grade will receive laptops. Its school buildings will also serve as internet hotspots for those who don’t have access at home.
MASKS REQUIRED IN CALDWELL SCHOOLS
Caldwell follows the advice of a growing list of local health leaders to require face masks or coverings. It noted the masks are part of a strategy to prevent the spread of the virus, and that maintaining 6 feet of physical distancing is not always possible in school buildings or buses.
“We also recognize that opinions on the use of face coverings vary greatly in our community,” French wrote in a letter to parents. “The most compelling opinion is that of our community’s health care providers at St. Luke’s, St. Alphonsus, West Valley Medical Center, Saltzer Medical, etc., who called on us to wear face coverings after an alarming increase in cases and hospitalizations.
“Please know that we would not burden students with this, if we did not believe it is truly necessary to protect them and our teachers.”
It will allow exemptions for those with disabilities that prevent wearing a face covering; those with respiratory conditions; those who are deaf or hard of hearing; and those advised by a medical, legal or behavioral health professional that a face covering may pose a risk.
This story was originally published July 22, 2020 at 4:30 AM.
