Esko pivots re-opening to hybrid, other county school plans vary

The Esko school board decided this week that the district won't have all students in classrooms as planned at the start of the school year Sept. 8.

Based on the number of coronavirus cases at the time of the meeting in both Carlton and St. Louis counties - as they pull students from both - the board decided to start at Level Two of the state's guidance on re-opening.

While case numbers in Carlton County remain low enough to allow for in-person classes as Esko had planned earlier in the month, case numbers have risen in St. Louis County enough to trigger the recommendation from the state for hybrid models.

It means that kindergarten through sixth-grade students will be learning in-person while middle and high school student days will run on a hybrid schedule. The older students will split time each week between in-person The board will continue to monitor the number of cases through the coming weeks and months, adjusting the plan as needed.

"I appreciate the community being patient with us," superintendent Aaron Fischer said during the regular board meeting Tuesday. "I also appreciate the questions because they have helped us shape up the best recommendations."

Beyond deciding on a learning plan for the fall semester, the board reversed a decision that would not have allowed distance learners to participate in extracurricular activities.

"We put the plans in motion, policies, procedures, all these good things we've worked on," Fischer said. "Our distance learning is going to be a new model and it's going to take some time, but I know we can do it."

Although public schools across the state have been given some leeway to determine how students should attend school - using in-person, hybrid or distance learning models - the basic decision comes down to the ratio of county residents that are currently testing positive for Covid-19. Each time the number of cases goes up by 10 per 10,000, the learning style would change again.

If the case rate remains below 10 sick people per 10,000 residents, the state recommends in-person learning for all students.

If cases climb to between 10 and below 20 per 10,000, the state recommends elementary students attend school in person and secondary students study in a hybrid scenario with both in-person and distance learning.

Between 20 to below-30, both elementary and secondary schools would study in a hybrid scenario.

At 30 to below-40, elementary schools should go hybrid and secondary schools should go to distance learning.

If the number of cases exceeds 50 per 10,000, schools would go to distance learning for all.

As of last Thursday, Aug. 20, the rate for Carlton County was up to 7.6, according to the latest 14-day case rate measured July 26 to Aug. 8 from the Minnesota Department of Health. That's up from 4.5 per 10,000 people measured July 19 to Aug. 1.

In St. Louis County, the average was 11.5, but officials break down the numbers even further: into Duluth-area (Duluth, Hermantown and Proctor schools) and St. Louis County schools outside of Duluth. As of Aug. 8, according to St. Louis County, the Duluth area was at 17.06 active cases per 10,000 while greater St. Louis County was at 3.25. Duluth schools recently went a step further than the state guidelines in going to all distance learning for older students.

All students will have to wear masks in school unless they are medically exempt.

The Pine Knot checked in with other area schools to find out the latest on plans for the start of school. The state said districts had to let families know at least two weeks before the start of school, a deadline reached this week.

Here's what we heard from area school officials.

Barnum

School starts in-person for all Sept. 8 in Barnum, except for kindergarten, which starts Sept. 9.

Superintendent Mike McNulty said the district is following state guidelines, and so far the number of residents infected with Covid-19 is low enough that school will start in-person.

"We will adjust if our regional planning team states we need to," McNulty said. The district has outlined plans for all three scenarios and those are posted on the school website. McNulty said about 120 students are planning to do distance learning.

Carlton

In-person classes for all start Sept. 8. Survey results indicated that about 20 percent of students would be using distance learning, but interim superintendent John Engstrom said actual registration numbers so far are indicating more students will be attending in person and fewer students will be doing distance learning.

"We'll have a better idea by the end of the week, but we might not know for sure until the first day of school," he said. The district will continue to monitor the case rate data as the start date nears, he said.

Cromwell-Wright

The Cromwell-Wright district is informing the community that school will open with in-person classes for all students on Sept. 8.

Fond du Lac Ojibwe

School started Aug. 26 and is distance only, until further notice. Breakfast and lunch will be delivered to families.

Moose Lake

In-person classes begin Sept. 8, according to state guidelines and local case numbers, superintendent Billie Jo Steen said. About 10 percent of students have registered for distance learning.

Queen of Peace

The Catholic private school starts Sept. 9 and plans to be fully open for in-person learning. Principal David Douglas said no families have asked to do distance learning, noting that the small classes sizes at the pre-K-8 school already lend themselves to social distancing.

"We have a preparedness plan that follows the MDH guidance, and we're basically stage one," he said. "Like everyone, it's a work in progress."

He said schools and society have to balance a lot of different responsibilities, including the response to Covid-19 and the need to educate our children.

South Ridge

South Ridge will begin school Sept. 8 with in-person classes, principal Andrew Bernard said. South Ridge is part of rural St. Louis County, where the number of infected people per 10,000 is just below four, according to Bernard, so they will be starting school in-person.

At South Ridge, just under 10 percent of students are choosing distance learning.

"We have worked out many of the logistics, but still need to firm some things up," Bernard said. "Students will have to wear masks at all times in the classroom and hallways. We are staggering our passing times to avoid having a large number of students in the hallways."

Wrenshall

Because of a construction project delayed by Covid-19 fallout and a lack of classroom space, Wrenshall will start Sept. 8 with a hybrid model, with younger students in classrooms and older students mostly distance learning. Elementary students in Group A will be on site on Mondays and Tuesdays and Group B will be there on Thursdays and Fridays. The day will run from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The early release will help teaching staff serve distance learning students, said superintendent/principal Kim Belcastro, adding that the K-6 open house will be virtual.

Wrenshall High School students are also split into two groups. The high school students will distance learn every day except every other Wednesday, when they will come to school from 8:20-3:13 p.m. for a seven-period day. All meals will be served in classrooms.

The district has purchased 210 additional laptop computers to make sure that each student has a device. It has also purchased hotspots for staff and students who do not have reliable internet.

"We are hoping that starting at 50-percent capacity will help with the manageability of the new training and practices," Belcastro said. "It is certainly a different time for everyone involved. However, the safety of the staff and students will always be the district's top priority."