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Cedar Cliff announces fall school plan

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CEDARVILLE — Like most schools in the area, Cedar Cliff will offer in-person and remote learning this fall.

The district’s start date of Wednesday, Aug. 26 and the reopening plan was approved by the board of education during a meeting Monday night. Students will be able to choose between the two plans, but those opting for remote learning must commit to an entire semester.

“There may be parts to the Cedar Cliff plan that you enjoy seeing put into place, and there may be other components to the plan you do not wish the district to undertake,” Superintendent Chad Mason wrote in a letter to district parents. “Quite honestly, there is no plan that will make 100 percent of the community ‘happy.’ But, as we embark on another, undoubtedly, unique and eventful year, I ask for patience, tolerance, and the commitment to our main and underlying purpose, to educate our students, and keep them safe to the best of our abilities, under any circumstances.”

Those opting for in-person will be in the building Monday through Friday. Changes have been made to the daily schedule to allow as much social distancing as possible.

The building will be closed to all students until 7:40 a.m. Staff members will be required to arrive at 7:33 a.m. for a temperature check and to allow seven minutes to get acclimated and ready for the school day. Students who are not eating a school breakfast will immediately proceed to their locker (if necessary), utilize the restroom (if necessary), and then move to their first period class. Upon arrival, teachers will utilize the thermometers and begin temperature screenings for their first period classes.

The time students have between classes in the middle school and high school will be extended from three to six minutes to allow for staggered release from classrooms. Students with an even-numbered locker will be released first and have three minutes to get to the next class. Then students with odd-numbered lockers will be released and will have three minutes to get to class.

Students will be seated in classrooms on a side of the class — odd-numbered students on one side, even-numbered students on the other. This will better allow the teacher to monitor who leaves class at the appropriate time and provide social distancing as students are entering the classroom while their peers are seated, according to the district reopening document.

Elementary school students do not have lockers so the administration and staff will monitor class exchanges to make sure social distancing is maintained as much as possible.

The tables in the cafeteria will be spaced to better provide social distancing and Plexiglass inserts will be established to provide a barrier between students sitting across from each other during lunch. Additionally, students will not be permitted to sit beside or immediately next to a peer during lunch. Extra tables and additional spaces have been established to maintain social distance and provide a healthier environment for students to eat their meals.

Students will be strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear masks during the time in which they are receiving instruction during the school day. Students riding on a district school bus will be required to wear a mask. Exceptions to wearing a mask could be during periods of physical activity such as PE courses, periods of vocal/instrumental music, or athletic activities during which the use of a masks is either deemed unsafe or unrealistic.

Staff members will be required to wear and will be provided masks (or face shields if they can be utilized in an effective manner) as a way to maintain safety in their work environment. State-approved exceptions will apply.

Other enhanced safety measures include:

— The district has obtained temperature kiosks so teachers will be able to check in each day and ensure they are not a health risk to other faculty members or students. These facial recognition systems will be hands-free and in an area that provides for quick and easy access for regular screenings.

— The concept of “community” supplies will be prohibited due to surface area concerns. Each student will need to bring their own supplies (pencils/pens, markers, etc.) and have those materials available for their personal use.

— There will be no field trips or school-wide assemblies during the 2020-2021 school year, unless Greene County Public Health or the Ohio Department of Education guidelines change.

— Extra cleaning will take place and additional staff members may be employed specifically for cleaning and sanitizing high traffic areas such as restrooms and cafeteria tables/areas.

— Per health department regulations, restroom facilities will be cleaned at a minimum of every two hours during the school day.

The plan also encourages parents and students to be prepared for a shift to a virtual or remote learning environment should the district experience an outbreak as defined by the Ohio Department of Health. Plans are also in place for a blended in-person/remote format.

By Scott Halasz

[email protected]

Contact Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.