Cape schools unveil tentative plan for fall classes

The Cape Girardeau School District released a preliminary plan for fall classes, set to begin face to face Aug. 24, as of Thursday morning.

Superintendent Neil Glass said Thursday the process to arrive at this plan was “pretty thorough. We relied heavily on the survey we put out, thinking families would appreciate having some input on what the plan looked like.”

Beyond that, Glass said, his cabinet members, building principals and the local health department met to discuss the information at hand.

“We shared that information with our school board members who also gave us input, and we looked at what other districts are doing, too, to see what, if anything, we were missing, or could do better.”

The resulting 26-page plan “was the best of all of it,” Glass said.

Glass said the biggest takeaway of the plan for families is, “We have options.”

The district will be running both a virtual and in-person district, effectively, Glass said.

“We’ll hopefully deliver both with fidelity,” he said.

“All superintendents across the state (I’ve spoken to) are feeling the same pressure,” Glass said. “We want to keep the kids safe but we know education is important. We don’t want to get behind any further than we did last spring.”

Everyone in the district did the best they could with available resources, Glass said, “but frankly, we didn’t have a lot of time to prepare.”

The summer break gave administrators and staff time to plan, he said.

The district is prepared to take all classes online in the event of a necessary closure, Glass said.

Before classes begin Aug. 24, students may opt out of face-to-face classes, Glass said, and instead learn remotely through the Tigers@Home program.

The registration deadline for Tigers@Home is July 31, according to the plan. The application is available online at www.capetigers.com.

If families need help making the best decision for their situation, Glass said, he encouraged them to call their building principals to talk through solutions, especially if the student has special needs or health considerations.

“You’re not in it alone,” Glass said.

The fluid nature of the COVID-19 epidemic means plan specifics may change quickly, and families are encouraged to follow their buildings on Facebook, and check for updates sent to them electronically.

As of Thursday, masks will be required on all buses, and in hallways and common areas for students in grades seven through 12.

Elementary school students are encouraged to wear masks in common areas and hallways, and will remain with the same group of other students so as to minimize potential contact.

Sanitation efforts will be stepped up, both by the custodial staff and by teachers, who will have disinfectant spray for the desks and tables in each classroom.

Students who are sick are asked to stay home, as are teachers and staff members.

At this time, the district plans to ask screening questions prior to arrival each day, but does not plan to temperature-check everyone.

Visitors to the buildings will be limited, at least at the beginning of the school year.

Performing arts classes, such as band and choir, will not be available in a virtual format. Students will need to choose an alternate course.

In the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis by a student or staff member, measures will be taken, including requested self-quarantine, but the specifics may change, according to the plan.

As previously reported, the district is also seeking to hire a contact tracer to assist with efforts by the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center in the event of a COVID-19 exposure.

“We’re a big part of the community, and we want to be a good neighbor to everybody, and do what’s right for our families,” Glass said. “With all that in mind, we developed this plan.”

The entire 26-page plan is available at www.capetigers.com and on the district’s social media.