While the COVID-19 Pandemic continues, so does education.
Schools have implemented protocols and procedures to protect students and staff during the 2020-2021 school year.
Now halfway through the academic calendar, mask wearing in the classroom has become the norm, as has desks being separated by six feet, and hallways marked with safe paths for students to walk to their next classes.
In the Lima City School District, leaders have continued to hold meetings throughout the year in order to update plans during this difficult time.
"Talking about things like online learning and facilities... processes and protocols are critical" explained Jill Ackerman, Lima City Schools Superintendent. "We have been open since August 12th, and we are very proud of the fact that we have been able to maintain school in person, for those parents that make that choice, and still have the option for online learning for parents who make that choice."
For now, the school district says they are preparing for a potential surge when staff and students get back from the holiday break.
"We know that we will see an uptick, as we are already seeing an uptick from the Thanksgiving holiday, that we will see an uptick after that Christmas Holiday," said Ackerman. "We are going to continue to work diligently... all of the protocols that we have in place have been effective for us... and so, we are going to continue to do the same things that we have been doing to make sure that we get through that month of January, which I think will be a critical time for us."
The school district has taken precautions in taking temperatures, desensitizing frequent areas, and handing out masks. The district has also worked with local departments on contact tracing efforts.
"Those are things that are ongoing all of the time," said Ackerman. "We meet on a regular basis, the county school superintendents meet on a regular basis, bounce ideas off of each other, and then just make sure that we're working as efficiently and effectively as we possibly can."
Lima School District staff and students return to school on January 4th, 2021.
