Natrona School District to Provide Face Masks in Reopening Plan

The Natrona County School District will provide face masks for students among other safety measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to the draft plan to reopen the schools this fall.

The district also will offer its "virtual learning program" for students who can't or choose not to return to school buildings, although it's not the same as the "adapted learning" program the district used this past spring, according to the draft plan.

The district has four main components of the reopening plan:

Safety and wellness of students and staff.
School operations following the statewide public health orders for transportation, food services, facilities, activities and athletics.
Instruction and technology to maintain the continuity of learning.
Communication within the district and the community.

The plan starts at home when parents check their children's temperature, and staff does the same; what happens when a student is symptomatic and if anyone in their home is symptomatic; nursing services provided to students;

While the current public health order will expire on July 31 about wearing a face mask when social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, the school district will encourage students to wear masks when social distancing of 3 feet to 6 feet cannot be maintained.

Each school will develop plans for students moving from class to class to minimize contact; hand sanitizing stations will be provided at school entrances and exits, before and after meals, before and after activities, and when they leave school.

The district also will disinfect buses and other district vehicles, buildings, playgrounds

The draft of reopening plan also lays out processes for scenarios of what happens when students and staff test positive for COVID-19; when an outbreak happens among multiple classrooms up to and including closing a school; options for students who are at risk for more severe illness or live with someone at high risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19; provisions for students enrolling in the virtual learning program; and what happens if schools are closed local or statewide through public health orders.