Sussex-Wantage Regional School District (Facebook photo)
Sussex. The Sussex-Wantage Regional School District’s Safe Return plan has been posted to the district’s website, Superintendent Michael Gall announced on June 24.
The district was required have a board-approved plan by June 24 before receiving Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) III grants from the federal government.
The plan is not binding, and district can update the plan every six months.
The plan discusses social distancing, handwashing, sanitization, possible mask wearing, contact tracing, diagnostic and screening testing, efforts to provide vaccinations to educators, staff and students, and appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities.
“There’s an understanding that we may not implement any of these things,” Gall said. “The state wants to see that you have these things submitted in case we need it.”
Gall said the procedures are similar to what was implemented in the district at the end of the 2020-21 school year, and that the state wants the district to show that it can do those things gain.
The public may comment on the plan over the summer without having to attend school board meetings. There is a link for stakeholders to submit their comments online (see links below).
“This is kind of a compliance piece at this juncture,” Gall said. “I expect in August we’ll get more significant guidelines about what next year will look like. I’m hopeful it will look a lot like how the school year ended this year.”
Online:
● Sussex-Wantage Regional School District Safe Return Plan (swregional.org): bit.ly/3h1vDIk
● To submit a public comment, visit: tinyurl.com/54ubucv8