Franklin Regional school board approves reopening, health-and-safety plans

Franklin Regional school board members have a plan for reopening school in the fall with proper health and safety measures in place.

“We see this as our starting point,” said Jennifer DiFulvio, special services supervisor. “Now that we have this plan, we need to figure out as an administrative team how we’re going to fully implement it.”

The plan, passed at a special meeting Thursday, covers multiple scenarios for reopening and operating under the state-designated green, yellow and red phases.

It offers strategies for in-person and online learning, depending on families’ preference. If the county were to go back into the yellow phase, it allows for a “hybrid” scenario with students alternating in-person and online learning, and provides options for parents who do not feel comfortable sending their child to school based on the latest information surrounding the covid-19 pandemic.

“We tried to develop a plan that could be implemented and mitigate any kind of health concern we’re dealing with,” said Beth Frydrych, a middle school nurse on the district’s back-to-school task force.

Water fountains would be replaced with water bottle filling stations, a feature which is already in place at the renovated Sloan Elementary and the forthcoming upper elementary building, said facilities director Jim Heck.

“We’ll put directional signage to keep students moving in sort of a one-way fashion with everyone on the right,” Heck said. “We’ll look at areas where we can make stairwells all up or all down.”

In addition to an earlier parent survey, Newlonsburg Elementary Principal Tina Gillen said a second survey would be going out to families regarding transportation preferences as well as parents’ interest in a physical return to school versus online learning.

“We’re also sending out a provider survey to child care centers and preschools, and gathering info about the status of their services and what they plan to do with younger students or school-age students in before- and after-school programs,” Gillen said. “That’s helpful to us in terms of providing information to families as they prepare for school.”

Feedback from parent surveys indicated a desire for more “live learning” when it came to students learning from home. The district’s virtual and hybrid education models includes plans for longer segments of teacher-led instruction.

“We’re proud of the work our staff and students did to make the best of a tough situation this spring,” superintendent Gennaro Piraino said. “But we know our students deserve more.”

The district has also added a “Return to School” button on the main FRSDk12.org page, which links to the reopening plan, the health and safety plan, the back-to-school task force reports and more.

One area that will be a major challenge is transportation, according to district business director Jon Perry.

“There was already a nationwide shortage of bus drivers before the pandemic, and we don’t anticipate things getting better by the time school starts,” Perry said.

It also will be challenging to maintain social distancing during transportation. There will be assigned seating and, for athletic or extracurricular events, limits on bus passengers.

Dr. William Jenkins, another task force member, said the district had developed “an excellent plan.”

“I think it’s very well thought-out, covers all the appropriate bases, and I would have no problem sending my children to a classroom following the guidance of this plan,” Jenkins said.

The board voted 8-0 to approve the reopening and health-and-safety plans. Board member Bill Yant was not present. The plans will now be submitted to the state’s Department of Education.