Allen Parish returns to the classroom on Thursday, August 20, during a pandemic which will keep everyone on their toes as students prepare for a new year.
Superintendent Kent Reed said the first few days might be slower as adjustments are made for the new year to keep all students, parents, employees, etc. as safe as possible in this COVID-19 pandemic time. The school board has spent several months preparing for the new year and following guidelines set up by the state.
Parents should know they will not be able to walk students to classrooms at this time. He said some schools have been inviting small groups to walk through the campus in preparation of the new year to illustrate how social distancing will work in the education environment, to see how classrooms will be situated and what students will be doing this school year.
Bus drivers have been calling their students and setting up routes and times since buses can only carry 50 percent of capacity. Reed said drivers have been working hard doing practice routes and learning how to disinfect buses. He said they have worked on seat charts since family members can sit together but all others must practice social distancing.
Students in grades three to 12 must wear masks, and if students ride a bus, they must have a mask regardless of age.
“If you have any questions, call your school,” Reed said. He asked everyone to practice social distancing, especially when on campus.
In a video he recently posted, Reed explained if a student or teacher tested positive for the virus, social distancing will allow only one person to be affected and sent home instead of entire classrooms or schools. He said they would respect privacy, but they would use the schools’ J-call system to report when someone in the classroom setting had tested positive for the virus. He said they planned to be transparent.
Of the 4,200 students in Allen Parish about 1,000 students have chosen the at-home learning program for the school year. Reed said parents should remember these dates:
•September 4 – if a parent wants to send their child to school, they should let him know they will do on the September 11th date he has set.
•September 11 – the first time at-home students can return to the face-to-face school environment if they choose to do this.
•October 22 – the end of the first nine weeks. This is the next time at-home students can return to the face-to-face school environment if they choose.
After these dates, the next one will be at mid term in mid January.
Reed said the district has prepared for all possibilities and can switch to A-B schedule or virtual schedule if needed.
He also explained students would be coming home with information for demographics. He said parents, guardians, etc. should fill the paperwork out since home numbers, addresses, etc. do change at times.
He encouraged all parents to keep in contact with their schools and visit the district’s website, https://www.allen.k12.la.us, for information to help with at-home learning, upcoming important dates, announcements, etc.
Reed is hoping for a great school year. He reminded students to observe social distancing and to wash their hands.
