This Ohio school has reduced spacing measures and is open to everyone, 5 days a week

For millions of families in the United States, it’s a reminder of how things were a year ago before pandemic lockdowns or a hoped-for future was still too far away to be seen clearly.

Everyone wears a mask and the narrowest rooms are one-way. But teachers can move around the classroom, and students can easily ask questions and see their friends, in the flesh, at school, five days a week.

Principal Melissa Ladowitz said she believed there would be different challenges in bringing her high school back in person for fear that older children would be more likely to catch and spread the coronavirus, and with more focus. national on the youngest.

“High school kids usually have a lot more freedom than elementary school kids, but we knew we could teach them the new routines and procedures,” she said.

But even she was surprised at how well it went, even with the staff demonstrating, modeling and imposing the wearing of masks, keeping their distance, etc.

“They follow these routines,” Ladowitz said of his students. “We were amazed at the quality.”

CDC guidelines reflected – and overridden

The push to reopen Southwest Licking schools began several months ago, when a summer survey of parents found that 70% of them wanted their children to return to school.

Schools Superintendent Kasey Perkins said once they had that mandate they had to figure out how to make it work and they partnered with local health officials to come up with a plan.

But there are no new ventilation systems – instead, more doors are opened and the hallways are one-way – and, critically, the health team said 3 feet of distance between offices would be enough if the students were masked, half of the CDC’s 6ft recommendation. .

The move initially attracted some skepticism, especially from teachers like Sleeper.

“In the fall, I didn’t know what to expect. The guidance was 6 feet and here we go with 3 feet, ”she said. “I was afraid.”

Six months later, Sleeper’s mind is relieved.

“The spread is not there,” she said of the coronavirus infections. “We just set our expectations and the kids followed them, and it’s been fantastic. You come into middle school and high school, and you think there’s going to be this challenge… What we found was is that they want to be. in school and they are happy to take our advice and our controlled environment. “

Relaxation of space requirements was essential throughout the district. At Watkins Middle School, which has the largest student body of around 1,000 children, they turned every available space into a classroom for the 870 or so who returned.

Superintendent Perkins said some students and staff have tested positive for Covid-19, but not a single case dating back to a contract at the school.

“I think it’s because they wear their masks and they do it diligently,” she said.

Faced with the fear of the unknown

Sleeper knows it will be difficult for teachers to come back. “I had a lot of teachers in the district who objected at the start of the year and not because we don’t like children, but because there was this real feeling that they were going to- even get sick.

What made the difference for her was seeing what happened with the protocols established by the district and their application.

“The only way to see it is to experience it. And I know it’s hard because you have to get over that fear to get into the classroom,” Sleeper said.

Perkins saw this fear in his district staff and asked them to trust him.

“It’s a difficult thing, and it was difficult for our staff,” she said. “I think if you ask them now, they’ll tell you it’s the best decision we’ve made.”

And she has an offer for those who are still nervous in other neighborhoods.

“Come to our schools, walk through and see our one-way corridors. See our times of transition, ”she said. “Take a look at our classrooms, at our cafeteria, see what we have done and what we have had success with. So you can model it yourself.