Schools adjust and carry on amid pandemic

Like all of Lake County, schools in St. Ignatius and Arlee started the new school year with enthusiasm and a few new rules. With COVID-19 a new reality, mask-wearing, hand sanitizing and social-distancing skills are the new norm for students and staff.

“Everybody wears masks all day,” St. Ignatius High School/Middle School principal Shawn Hendrickson said. “They can take their masks off if they are in a classroom where they are socially distanced and seated.”

A few classes are too full, he said, so masks are worn all period.

“A lot of classes are being held outside right now.”

Like all educators across the county, those in St. Ignatius and Arlee know their schools could see COVID-19 cases emerge despite their best efforts to prevent it. On Friday the Lake County-CSKT Unified Command Center announced officials are following up cases in St. Ignatius and Ronan (see related article). Case investigations have been completed and close contacts have been placed under quarantine. No evidence of spread within the schools has been identified, according to health officials.

“Masks are such a simple thing,” Arlee Superintendent Mike Perry said. “If that’s what it takes to keep school open and kids healthy, and carry on as normal, we can do that.”

Hendrickson said his entire staff is supportive of the new safety protocols, and quoted one of his teacher/coaches: “If it took me wearing a Speedo to school every day to keep kids safe, if it meant that we could keep schools open and keep sports going, I would do it, no question.”

Both schools have implemented protocols for checking temperatures to help detect those who may be ill and let them go home before they can spread the virus further. Arlee has added a full-time nurse who cares for students if they are not feeling well and performs random temperature checks throughout the day.

St. Ignatius used COVID funding to purchase an automated thermal imaging system that checks temperatures throughout the school several times a day. If it detects an elevated temperature, principal Hendrickson receives a notification on his phone. Because people can have an elevated temperature for many reasons, such as exercise or coming in from the hot sun, a nurse follows up with a secondary temperature measurement and some questions.

“It’s pretty slick,” Hendrickson said. “No one has to wait in line, and no drama.”

So far, no one has needed to be sent home, though there have been a few COVID cases in remote-learners who have not been in the school building.

After months of school being closed, students seem very happy to be back, according to Hendrickson.

“We know kids have had a lot more freedom during this last five and a half months. We didn’t know what to expect. But our kids are doing great in school. We are in week 4, and I have had zero discipline referrals, not one incident. That is unheard of.”

Students in both school systems were given the opportunity to choose in-school or remote learning. About 12% of St. Ignatius high schoolers chose the remote option, which accounted for about 50% in the elementary school and 20% at the middle school.

Hendrickson said teachers and parents helping their kids at home reported it was difficult to keep up with the standard seven-class daily schedule with new cleaning requirements and distance learning.

So a new idea was launched. School is in session Monday through Thursday on a “unique” schedule in which classes run for 90 minutes for four periods per day. This allows more concentrated study on a subject, providing a semester’s credit for a subject in one quarter. Remote schoolers are brought into the classroom digitally for occasional inclusion in lectures and other lessons.

Hendrickson said the new schedule is popular.

“I keep being asked, ‘Could we stay on this schedule after this is all over?’ “I don’t know, but it’s going great right now. Four seems to be manageable on everybody’s level.”

On Fridays, the school is being deep-cleaned, on top of all the sanitizing going on throughout the week. Teachers use Fridays to work one-on-one with remote learners and anyone else who might need some extra help.

Arlee schools adopted the same four-day schedule. Superintendent Perry said another advantage is that in the previous schedule, students earned seven credits per semester, but with four classes per quarter, they now earn eight credits in a semester.

About 25% of Arlee students chose remote learning. While this is making for plenty of space in classrooms for social distancing, Perry said it has been a challenge to ensure enough interaction with the remote learners.

“We are hoping that after the first nine weeks, if people see we haven’t had any problems, some students may come back in.”