In-Person Learning Option For Elementary Students In Salt Lake City School District

Press release from the Salt Lake City School District:

December 9, 2020

In November, the Board of Education voted to offer an in-person learning option for our youngest students beginning at the end of January. This will begin the week of January 25, 2021, with students in pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade. 2nd through 6th grades will return after that.

Proposed Schedule for Returning Students

• Pre-K, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students will return to school the week of January 25, 2021.
• 2nd and 3rd grade students will return to school the week of February 1, 2021.
• 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students will return to school the week of February 8, 2021. (Please note this will not include 6th graders who attend a middle school.)

COVID-19 and Students

Working closely with the Salt Lake County Health Department, we have examined the latest COVID-19 data for all the school districts in Salt Lake County. The data indicate that elementary school-aged students are contracting COVID-19 at similar rates across the county, regardless of whether they are currently attending school in person or online. There is no statistically significant difference in COVID-19 rates for elementary aged students in Salt Lake County, which tells us that even though COVID cases are rising in our community at large, the risk does not increase significantly for elementary students when they attend school in person.

The same does not appear to be true for middle and high school students. Examining the data from school districts in Salt Lake County shows that middle and high school students attending school in person are contracting COVID-19 at higher rates than students of the same age who are learning remotely. Currently, the Board of Education has not discussed returning middle and high school students to in-person learning.

Health and Safety Precautions

For students and staff who return to in-person learning in our elementary schools, there will be increased health and safety measures in place in order to combat the potential spread of COVID-19.

• Custodial staff will wipe and sanitize frequent touch points throughout school buildings and will routinely sanitize restrooms throughout the day.
• School staff and students will have access to hand sanitizer in classrooms.
• Hand sanitizer stations will be available on school playgrounds.
• School staff will have access to a spray bottle with sanitizing solution to wipe down desks and other items as needed.
• All HVAC systems have been adjusted to ensure that each day 100% fresh air will be cycled through schools. The air filters in every school and district building were replaced during the spring and summer months, and will be checked weekly and replaced quarterly.
• Students and staff are required to wear masks while in classrooms, cafeterias, hallways, and other areas. Masks will be provided to any student or employee who does not have one.
• Personal protection equipment will be provided to staff including masks, face shields, gloves, and sanitizer.
• Schools will place signage on walls to encourage proper movement to limit contact, as well as floor signage to encourage 6-foot distancing where possible.
• School administrators will establish one direction hallways (where available) to assist with the flow of student movement.
• Staff members will monitor hallways and, when possible, escort classes during transitions to ensure a steady flow of students with no congregation in hallways.
• Water bottles will be provided to each student to reduce crowding and frequent use of school water fountains.
• Filtered touchless water bottle filling stations have been installed in all schools before the first day of school.
• The district will limit access to visitors and parents. Except in the case of an emergency, visitors and parents must make an appointment to meet with school staff.
• Schools will designate specific areas where visitors and parents are allowed, and administrators will establish protocols for greeting visitors and the use of any required screening tools.

What's Happening Now?

We are working to make sure elementary schools are ready for students to return.

• The district has sent a survey to parents asking if their students will be returning to in-person learning of if they would prefer to keep their students learning remotely.
• Elementary schools will take the results of this survey to create plans to accommodate both in-person and remote learning.
• School administrators, teachers, and staff are reviewing safety procedures and determining the best plan for instructional delivery.
• Custodians are checking supplies to ensure each school has the appropriate cleaners, sanitizers, and personal protective equipment to keep students and employees as safe as possible.

We will continue to monitor health department data to learn more about the impact this change may have on both children and adults.

This press release was produced by the Salt Lake City School District. The views expressed are the author's own.