Ottawa Elementary prepares to return to in-person attendance in August

The Ottawa Elementary District has put together a transition team to talk about returning to school in August.

The team of more than 20 people with administrators and staff, among other stakeholders, will meet beginning Monday.

The schedule will be one of the team’s discussions, said Ottawa Elementary Superintendent Cleve Threadgill. There has been mention of splitting up attendance for half of the students to attend one day and half to attend another in an effort to reduce the number of children at the schools at any given time.

No decision has been made at this time, Threadgill said.

Physical education classes and lunch are among the challenges he noted as the school adheres to state guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

He said the district still intends to begin the school year Aug. 19 – but there is consideration of pushing back the start time, if a compelling argument is made.

Masks will have to be worn by students, with special arrangements explored for specific cases. The district will provide masks, but students can wear their own.

“That’s a state guideline; we have no choice,” Threadgill said.

The school district purchased computer tablets for every student to use for remote learning, including 160 tablets with built-in wireless internet capabilities.

Threadgill said there is no guarantee schools will be closed again if there is another spike in coronavirus cases, and the district has to prepare in the event that happens. Additionally, he said the school will have to quarantine students for 14 days if a case is confirmed, including quarantining students with whom the individual student came into contact.

The superintendent said the school is exploring the rental of large air conditioning units to install in areas of the district that have no air conditioning, understanding that masks can create hot and uncomfortable conditions for students.

“We have to be ready for so much, because it all can change,” Threadgill said. “We are bringing a transition team together to make plans for several possibilities.”

Parents are encouraged to fill out a survey on the OES webpage.