The Valmeyer School District announced last week that its students will return to classes in-person later this month, albeit with a modified schedule. 

Parents will also have the option to have their child attend school entirely remotely. 

The district’s “Return to Learn Plan” is fluid and may change with little notice as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves. 

For now, the plan is to have students from kindergarten to 12th grade attend school in-person from 8:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every weekday. 

Masks must be worn by students and staff, social distancing must be maintained as much as possible, and students must be screened for symptoms daily before boarding the bus or entering school. 

“The impact of lost instructional time and social emotional development on children should be anticipated, and our schools will need to be prepared to adjust curriculum and instructional practices accordingly without the expectation that all lost academic progress can be caught up,” the plan states. “Plans to make up for lost academic progress, due to school closure and distress associated with the pandemic, should be balanced by a recognition of the likely continued distress of educators and students that will persist as our schools re-open to full capacity.” 

A student must provide a doctor’s note or medical documentation if they are unable to wear a face covering.

Students will receive education on proper social distancing, personal protective equipment use and hand hygiene. 

The district will also implement exhaustive cleaning procedures during and after the school day and provide sixth through 12th graders lunches to go. 

For students who attend remotely, they will have a full curriculum like their in-person peers through digital devices or hard copies of papers. The focus will be on core subjects. 

Students must have a device and web access and commit to remote learning for at least a quarter at the high school level. Teachers will be available to help remote students during school hours. 

Both remote and in-person students will have five hours of instruction, engagement or independent work as required by the Illinois State Board of Education, the same assignments, traditional grading and feedback, educational support and daily attendance requirements. 

The five hours of work for students learning remotely can include but is not limited to instruction in-person or recorded, remote small group work or conference calls, independent work time, virtual or telephone check-ins. 

The first day of school in Valmeyer is Aug. 19.