VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Valley City Public Schools Superintendent Josh Johnson issued a few reminders about protocols that will have to followed by parents, guardians and students in the upcoming school year.

1. How was it decided that students could be spaced three feet apart instead of six feet?
The guidance that we have received from our local health team, NDDoH, and the CDC/American Academy of Pediatrics has advised us to space students six feet apart, when feasible. Our efforts will be made to space students as far apart as possible; however, in some instances that will not be feasible in some classrooms, hallways, etc. We will require all students to be spaced a minimum of three feet apart according to guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. We believe that the risk of bringing students back for in-person learning and potentially being within six feet, is far better than the risk of having our students continue to learn at home in Plan C or D. This is based upon our current case count in Barnes County and is subject to change based upon positive cases, infection rates, and new guidance.

2. Why was it decided that students can remove face masks when seated in the classroom?
There will be few opportunities in the school day that will allow students to remove face masks and they will include; sitting in desk, eating lunch, and being outside of the school (outdoor classrooms, recess, etc.). We made our decisions regarding face masks following the guidance from our local health team based upon the current case counts in our county. Anyone (student or staff member) may choose to wear their face mask all day long in the schools. This guidance will be subject to change based upon recommendations from local health officials.

The only modifications that were made to our District Reopening Plan, since August 10th, were made within the Activities Plan. AD Mike Schultz shared these changes in a communication sent to parents/families on Thursday, August 20th. In the future, we will highlight changes for you when providing a preliminary and approved document.

The school districts protocol guidance comes from the North Dakota Department of Health, Center for Disease Control (CDC), and American Academy of Pediatrics. Please read the specific guidance regarding physical distancing and face masks as it applies to our district plan. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.

The first day of school on Monday, August 31.

Josh Johnson

Superintendent

Valley City Public Schools

(701) 845-0483

The full interview with Josh Johnson is available below.