LANSING, Mich. — The Catholic Dioceses of Lansing are preparing for students to return to face-to-face learning.
This decision comes as public schools are making the choice to teach virtual learning for the first portion of the school year.
Superintendent Catholic Schools for Dioceses of Lansing Tom Maloney said, “Our school population is much smaller than our public school counterparts. All of our parish schools are in a parish campus with additional rooms ans spaces they can utilize. It really affords us the opportunity to do the social distancing and have our full population back on campus.”
Students will have to social distance in the classrooms.
Meghan Loughlin-Krusky, St. Thomas Aquinas School Principal said teachers will measure six feet between each desk.
This will be easier to do now that she has downsized the classrooms.
Loughlin-Krusky said, “We knew that our classrooms could hold up to 20, 21 students but we wanted everyone to be safe. So every classroom was kept to 18 knowing we could socially distance six feet apart.”
All students will be required to wear a mask, even the younger grades.
Loughlin-Krusky said, “Even for our younger students they will be wearing masks if they are moving about the building even in the classroom. So the only time that students aren’t going to have their masks on in the younger grades is fi they’re sitting at their desks quietly.”
It’s a requirement that students in sixth grade and older wear a face mask throughout the day, however, Loughlin-Krusky said the school purchased six tents that will allow for students in the middle school to have a mask break outside.
Getting into the school will be different, too.
Families will have to fill out a form each morning proving they are symptom-free.
Loughlin-Krusky said, “We actually have set up three separate car lines for our parents based on grades. We’re also going to have students come in through very specific doorways to monitor who’s coming in, where they’re coming in and so we can maintain the cohorts as well.”
Fox 47 heard concerns about teachers losing their job if they don’t want to return to in-person learning.
The superintendent didn’t have much to say about the issue.
“I hope it doesn’t get to that,”said Maloney. “It’s a red button issue for a very small small percentage.”
Maloney also said there has been an influx in enrollment inquiries as more and more public schools choose to go online.
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