School begins for Emery County students on Tuesday, Aug. 25 and Monday, Aug. 31 for kindergarten students. The Emery County School District (ECSD) stated that along with providing an excellent education for all students, they will work diligently while also remaining flexible to provide a safe environment at school with options for families.
There are two ECSD-delivered options for families, with the first being in-person instruction at school with health restrictions and guidance from state officials as well as the local health department.
The second option is teacher-delivered distance learning with modifications and enhancements of the model used in the springtime. The ECSD acknowledged that parents also have the choice to home-school their children.
Whichever option was chosen by parents, the ECSD asked for a submission of that choice through a Parent/Guardian Commitment Form by Aug. 10. They also promised a safe environment at school, beginning with informing parents of the steps they are taking.
The in-person instruction will follow a traditional Monday through Friday schedule with safety modifications and social distancing whenever possible.
Per the current health order by the state, face coverings will be required for students at school and on the bus. Face coverings can be provided by the schools when needed. Exceptions allowed by the health order are outlined in the ECSD Face Covering Information Form. Volunteers, staff and teachers will also wear face coverings while at school.
Reasonable accommodations will be made for high-risk employees and students with an IEP/504 and other needs. Mental health services will also be available to both students and employees.
The buildings will be cleaned and disinfected with enhanced schedules and each school will feature an isolated health room. Desks will be spaced as much as possible and assigned seating will be used for contact tracing purposes. Students will follow a schedule of regular hand-washing.
The ECSD urges those that have sick children to keep them at home. Students will be sent home if they arrive at school while sick. Parents must ensure that their contact information is up-to-date with the school in the event that their student must be picked up for any reason.
Planning ahead, the ECSD assured that they are prepared to shift to a modified schedule or a full dismissal if recommended by the health department.
In the event of a local outbreak, classrooms or entire schools could be dismissed for a period of time. These decisions will be made in consultation with the Southeast Utah Health Department. Specific school plans are available to view on each school’s respective website.