Masks and hourly hand washing: What Kansas students could encounter when school starts

COVID-19 precautions may alter nearly every aspect of life for Kansas schoolchildren, according to draft safety guidelines from the Kansas State Department of Education, obtained by The Kansas City Star and The Wichita Eagle.

The recommendations, provided to district superintendents this week, say students, teachers and staff should wear masks, but that students up to fifth or sixth grade shouldn’t be required to wear them unless local officials mandate it.

Everyone should wash their hands after arriving at school and then repeat once an hour. Extra furniture should be removed from classrooms to maximize social distancing and students should use the restroom during instructional time to cut down on hallway interactions.

The guidance discourages the use of lockers in order to reduce the number of students in hallways. It advises schools to consider staggering transition time between classes if lockers must be used.

Students should have assigned seats on buses and members of the same household should sit together. Windows should be open when possible and routes should minimize the time students spend on buses.

In the event of a COVID-19 case, school officials may close buildings for several days, or section off rooms where the infected individual studies or works for thorough cleanings. In communities with moderate to high levels of restrictions, districts should consider staggered attendance, with groups of students taking turns receiving in-person instruction.

Education officials are expected to formally present the guidance to the State Board of Education next week. But KSDE provided a draft to superintendents on Thursday and the document quickly began to circulate within the educational community.

“The intent of this section is to create a template to guide local discussion regarding reopening school. It is not a one-size-fits-all document,” an introduction to the safety guidelines says.

The agency declined to discuss the document on Friday afternoon.

“There have been several things that have been altered since that draft was released and we expect to receive additional changes right up to the board meeting. It would be irresponsible for me to comment on any portion of a document that is still in flux,” KSDE spokeswoman Denise Kahler said in an email.

The guidance is voluntary. Local districts, along with local health officials, will ultimately decide what changes to make.

Uncertain future

The safety guidelines come toward the end of a reopening document that spans nearly 1,100 pages and focuses mostly on academic standards. The recommendations are divided into topics, including classrooms, transportation and food service.

During school lunches, the guidance suggests adults keep students socially distanced as they move through lines and ensure they take the first food or drink item they touch. Meal time should be extended to reduce the number of students in the eating area, the draft said. It also notes proper dish washing effectively kills viruses and bacteria, but says “use of disposable serving trays and silverware may help with public perception regarding safety.”

Student-athletes should limit face-to-face time and work individually as much as possible. The document suggests staggering locker room schedules to avoid overcrowding and advising students to arrive and leave in individual cars.

As the coronavirus tightened its grip on Kansas this spring, nearly half a million K-12 students were abruptly sent home for the rest of the school year, sending teachers scrambling to find ways to remotely provide some semblance of learning.

“I’m quite certain that whatever the local school boards will choose to adopt will not be business as usual,” Lee Norman, the state health officer, said Wednesday.

Some districts have already begun public discussions about how they plan to reopen. The Shawnee Mission school district on Wednesday published a draft of its reopening plan, and asked the community for feedback.

The district is considering three scenarios when it reopens schools on Aug. 17: Students returning to in-person classes, students staying home and learning online, or a mix of the two.

The plan highlights the difficulties of requiring students to social distance while maximizing in-person classroom time. If the majority of students return to class, district officials wrote that social distancing cannot be guaranteed. At least half of students would need to learn from home in order to ensure safety measures are adequately followed.

Other districts have been waiting to receive the statewide guidelines before announcing their own plans. But many have said they will give parents options during enrollment. Both the Olathe and Blue Valley districts, which start the school year on Aug. 13, will allow parents to choose whether to send their students back to the classroom or stick with virtual learning.

“This year will be the most unique school year in history,” Olathe Superintendent John Allison said in a statement. “But our attitudes and resolve will help bring a sense of calm to our students. Together, we’ll make this work.”

This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 4:21 PM.