Cape, Jackson school district employees back to work next week

As Gov. Mike Parson’s stay-at-home order expires this weekend, professionals employed by local school districts are preparing to return to work and reopen school buildings, sans the students.

Cape Girardeau School District administrators, administrative assistants, custodians, technology department and nutrition services staffers, and all Central Administrative Office employees will return to work Monday, according to a Wednesday email to district employees from superintendent Neil Glass.

“Please remember to avoid group gatherings and practice social distancing as much as possible,” the email read. “If you are in common social spaces or in close proximity to others, please wear a mask.”

Teachers, teacher assistants, counselors, nurses and other staff are allowed into school buildings at the discretion of each principal, Glass continued. To limit the number of individuals in each building at once, the email advised employees to follow schedules created by principals.

“Thank you for your continued dedication to our students and community,” the email stated.

Jackson School District office employees will also return to work next week, according to communications director Merideth Pobst.

All district offices will reopen Wednesday with regular hours, she said, noting that during the pandemic, only the district’s central office remained open with a modified schedule.

The return to normalcy excludes teachers, who have a different schedule, Pobst said, noting most teachers are still offering students online learning.

For those who will return, the district is adhering to guidelines by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“There’s been some recommendations that we’ve seen as far as cleaning common work areas more frequently during the day [and] using social distancing practices as much as possible,” Pobst said.

For food deliveries, food service or anything related to student meals, Pobst said staff will continue to wear gloves and masks.

The central office has not seen any indication employees are not ready to return to work, Pobst said.

“However, I know [superintendent] Dr. [John] Link has asked any employee at any time during this, whether it be through our student meal service program [or] whatever it may be, to only work if they felt comfortable,” Pobst said. “If they didn’t feel comfortable, they were supposed to contact their immediate supervisor.”

The time students have spent away from school hasn’t been wasted, Pobst said.

Custodial staff members have done some deep cleaning they normally couldn’t accomplish until summertime, she said, and maintenance crews have made repairs that would normally have to wait until mid-summer.

“We’re just trying to make the best use of our time during this uncharted situation,” she said.

For more information, contact the Cape Girardeau School District office at (573) 335-1867 or the Jackson School District office at (573) 243-9501.