SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)- Officials with the Southwest School Corporation announce plans for a safe return to school in the fall.
On August 11th, the Southwest School Corporation, which serves portions of Sullivan County, will return to school for the 2020-21 school year.
It’s a year that school officials say will have its challenges.
“This is probably going to be the most difficult year of school that we’ve ever had. It’s going to probably be more difficult than the spring was,” said Chris Stitzle, Southwest School Corp. Superintendent.
To prepare for the upcoming year, Wednesday, the Southwest School Corporation board approved a plan for a safe return for students and staff.
“We’ve been working with our teachers association, our administrators, other principals, our school nurse, our school board,” Stitzle said.
Stitzle says he’s also taken time to review reopening plans of other school districts.
“You look at these different plans and you see, well this would fit in Sullivan,” Stitzle said.
The Southwest School Corporation plan includes some of the following: assigned seating or zones for buses, a requirement for parents to self screen students, and a recommendation for students to wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible.
The school corporation will also offer a virtual schooling option for parents with concerns over COVID-19.
“You’ve got to try to balance it. So you put in enough measures, you want them to be safe. But you also want them to be healthy in all different kinds of ways and i think that’s getting back to school,” Stitzle said.
Stitzle says plans are subject to change and he ask the Sullivan County community for patience and flexibility during the next fall and spring.
“Through this together, we’ll make it a successful year, we’ve just got to work together,” Stitzle said.
For the upcoming school year, Stitzle says every student and staff member will be given two masks.
By Thursday, parents will receive an e-mail with full details on guidelines for a return to school.
