BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- Potsdam Central School is planning a four-day in-person schedule this fall with Fridays serving as a remote learning day for all students.

Potsdam Central emailed a series of questions and answers to parents as the deadline nears for parents to decide to send children to school for in-person learning, remote learning or a hybrid model.

“As a reminder, we will be sending out a commitment form on Wednesday, July 29 and asking parents to make their selection for fall by this Friday,” PCS Superintendent Joann Chambers said in the email to district parents. “This is a critical step in our reopening plans.”

If PCS goes to a hybrid model, students would be placed in an A group or a B group. A group would attend Monday and Tuesday. B Group would attend Wednesday and Thursday. Friday would be remote learning for all. If there is a four-day in-person schedule, it will be Monday through Thursday unless there is a previously scheduled day off.

Questions posed to parents included the following.

Why take Friday off? Why not take Wednesday, so that a cleaning can be done?

The cleaning and disinfecting standards required of schools is much more rigorous than normal. These protocols will be followed at the end of every day students are in school, so there would be no need for additional cleaning on a day when students are not present. Having Friday as a remote learning day does allow the buildings to be relatively empty for three consecutive days.

Some other schools in the county have selected Monday or Wednesday as the remote learning day. Staggering these days may help us a little with securing substitute teachers. There was a shortage of substitutes prior to the pandemic, and we are anticipating this will continue to be a problem for our schools.

When parents make a decision for September, are they making a decision for the entire 2020-2021 school year?

School officials can’t predict what will happen over the course of the entire school year. If there is a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, PCS may need to have all students learning remotely.

At this time, the choice parents make is for at least the first marking period, officials said. Parents who want to switch their choice will be given a window of time at the end of each marking period to do so. Changing from at-home to in-school learning will be dependent on available space.

The initial survey of parents indicated that about 20% of high school students were interested in learning at home all five days.

All students and staff members will be required to wear facemasks. This would include masks, bandanas or scarves, or “gators” that pull up from the neck. If a face shield is worn, a cloth face covering must be worn as well.

“While seated in the classroom, students may remove coverings only when directed to do so by the teacher, PCS said in an email. “Students will also remove face coverings during breakfast and lunch. Teachers will also provide mask breaks throughout the day.”

PCS officials say they will work closely with families to enforce this mandate. Families who fail to support the wearing of masks will be encouraged to have their students engage in remote learning.

Students can wear their own masks, but by law, the district is required to provide a face covering for anyone who needs one. Those who do not have their own will be given one. Buses and main offices will have a supply of PPE to be distributed as needed.

How will the district be screening staff and students for COVID-19 symptoms?

Plans are still being refined, school officials say.

“We are going to depend on parents to monitor their children and not send them to school if they are exhibiting potential symptoms, including an elevated temperature,” officials said. “We are planning a campaign to continually remind parents of the symptoms and of their responsibility. Teachers will be instructed to send students with apparent symptoms to the school nurse. For employees, there will be a daily screening process.

What will happen when there is a suspected or positive case of COVID-19 in the school?

PCS officials will meet with St. Lawrence County Public Health next week to get clear guidance on this issue. It is expected that there will be a short-term closure (24-48 hours) to allow for cleaning and disinfecting.

A decision about fall sports is expected on or before Sept. 21. If athletics are permitted, there will be adjustments in the start and end dates of the sports seasons. All students will be eligible to participate whether they are learning remotely or in-person.

How will elementary school parent pick-up work?

PCS officials will look at different options for parent pick-up to allow for safer dismissal and social distancing.

Will elementary and middle school students still have daily recess?

Yes they will. Students will go outside every day, as weather permits. Students will have recess in smaller groups, and will be permitted to use the playground equipment.

My student plans to attend a half-day program at BOCES. How will the at-home days be impacted?

The programs at Seaway Area Technical Center will likely run Monday-Friday. Students will likely be permitted to drive to and from their program if they choose. Potsdam Central will also provide daily transportation

All students learning from home will be provided with a Chromebook. It is also likely that elementary students who are attending in-person school will take a Chromebook home on Thursday nights.

To read all of the questions and answers, visit bit.ly/33fiC7F.