Skagway School. (Greta Mart)
The Skagway School District has released the first draft of its plan for reopening school this fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Earlier this year, the State of Alaska created the Smart Start framework for schools to create their own plan for re-opening safely. Under the framework, health precautions are divided into three different risk levels: low, medium and high.
The protocols in the low risk category would be used when there are no new COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days, medium risk protocols when there is some community spread, and high risk protocols when there is a widespread outbreak in the community.
Under the draft plan that the Skagway School District has developed, the high risk protocol would suspend in-person classes. The low and medium risk categories would continue in-person classes with some mandatory health precautions. Among those precautions are temperature screenings for students, the removal of communal seating areas, and the suspension of class parties and field trips.
Other aspects of the plan include hygiene and decontamination and guidance for those who have been exposed to COVID-19.
The Skagway School Board will hold a work session on the plan at 6:00 PM on June 30th in the school’s multi-purpose room. Public attendance is available, but seating will be limited. The meeting will also be broadcast over Zoom where participants can ask questions or make comments. A link will be made available on the Skagway School website.
