What Will School Look Like in the Fall?

It’s the question on everyone’s mind these days: What will school look like in the fall? Although plans are likely to change dependent on the spread of COVID-19, for families in the Missoula County Public School District, the administration has released some tentative plans and information and has been working hard to get a formalized plan in place.

According to the “Return to School” page that has been set up on MCPS’s website, all 18 schools WILL be offering a face to face instructional model and intend to have a remote learning options available as well for the 2020-2021 school year. A formal plan and available options is expected to be communicated to families in late July.

MCPS has also created a “Return-to-School Committee” consisting of 75 members from various departments, and specialties within the school district including, teachers, custodial staff, administrators, and more who will are reviewing parent, student and staff feedback. They will share their recommendations for reopening schools by the end of July.

At the recent MCPS “Town Hall Meeting”, Superintendent Dr. Rob Watson and the Board of Trustees, addressed some of the considerations and options that are being explored for next year. In order to adhere to social distancing, they will be exploring ways to reduce the number of students in classrooms and on buses and reduce the number of students “mixing”, which may result in alternate school schedules and bus routes. On their website, MCPS states, “We expect wellness procedures for adults and students to include temperature and symptom checks, wearing masks, frequent hand-washing/ hand sanitizer and disinfection of buildings and buses.”

While MCPS works to figure out the logistics and financial impacts of upcoming changes to the school year, parents can look to the CDC’s Considerations for Schools, for a glimpse at many of the changes that could be on the horizon.