HANCOCK — An open house will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 2, said Principal Dan Vaara in an email release Friday.

“We are still working out the details at this time, as far what that will look like,” said Vaara. “I am meeting with staff next Tuesday to make a decision. It may be in person or it may be in a virtual format. I will send something out next week once this is decided.”

Details are still being worked out for Kindergarten Orientation, as well, he added.

Packet pickup is scheduled for Monday, August 31, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., during which time parents will able be able to update information.

As the school district moves closer to the beginning of the new year, Vaara said parents have three options from which to consider.

1. Face to Face instruction:

• Students at this time will be required to wear a face covering while in transition (mainly the hallways). There are scenarios where they would need to wear one in the classroom but that would be minimal. Students have a choice and may wear a facial covering all day if they choose. Staff will be wearing face coverings.

• Lunch and breakfast will still be in the gymnasium. Classrooms will sit together at a table. Tables will be spread out further than they have been to maintain distancing.

• Hygiene- Elementary teachers have always done a good job of teaching hygiene such as hand washing and coughing into elbows. This will continue with additional hand washing and disinfecting within the classroom. Social distancing will be encouraged and practiced wherever possible.

• Supplies- Students will use their own supplies (pencil, crayons, glue stick, etc.) within the classroom. These supplies along with a Ziploc will be provided by the school unless a student chooses to use their own supplies. Supplies such as toys in the classroom that are shared will be disinfected between uses.

• Screening of staff and students- Parents will be asked to check their child’s temperature in the morning. If they have a temperature of 100.4 or above we are asking that they keep their child home. They should also be kept home if they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. All staff will conduct a health & safety self-assessment before coming to school each day.

• Cleaning- All staff will help with disinfecting touch points (door handles, railings, etc) throughout the day. Additional cleaning in the classrooms will also take place.

• Upgraded air handlers- We have just upgraded our air handling systems. They are state-of-the-art and will allow us to change the air in the building much more frequently and effectively than a typical public building. This will help dilute and remove airborne viruses.

2. Online Classroom Streaming:

• Cameras will be placed in all classrooms, and students will be able to be at home while viewing the live lessons. Lessons will also be recorded so students can watch them at a convenient time. Students may go back and forth between live streaming and face to face instruction. Small group work under this scenario would be done using a format such as Google Hangout.

3. Virtual Learning:

• We will be using Accelerate Education https://accelerate.education/ . A Barkell Elementary teacher will be the teacher of record and will provide guidance and answer questions. Students who choose this option must continue with Accelerate Education for the entire semester. I encourage families who choose this option to click on the link I provided to research the program. It requires a lot of screen time and is quite rigorous.

“We understand we have a number of people who will be home schooling to start out the year,” said Vaara. “We want to let you know that we want to help. Please don’t hesitate to contact me and I can provide you with some guidance and some materials that will allow your child to stay on track with the curriculum that we offer.”

Below is a link to The Michigan Return to School roadmap:

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/whitmer/MI_Safe_Schools_Roadmap_FINAL_695392_7.pdf.