SHERIDAN — From temporary closures to mask mandates, the 2020-21 school year was a unique one at best and tumultuous at worst for Sheridan County’s three K-12 school districts and Northern Wyoming Community College District due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But at the start of the 2021-22 school year, the three school districts should be a step ahead in fighting the spread of the virus, including the emergency of the Delta variant, having already adopted COVID-19, formerly Smart Start, plans outlining policies and procedures related to the pandemic.
Like school districts throughout Wyoming, Sheridan County school districts 1, 2 and 3 operated under a statewide mask mandate for students, staff and visitors for much of the 2020-21 school year. It wasn’t until April, after Gov. Mark Gordon lifted the mandate, that all three school districts worked with county health department officials to receive a variance and make masks optional.
As classes start again this fall, not much has changed.
“We’re starting this year like we ended last year,” said Boyd Brown, interim superintendent for Sheridan County School District 3. “Masks are recommended, not required. That’s per the state health department. … We’re going to continue to be vigilant.”
Following policies put in place last year, Brown said students will be encouraged to wash their hands often and use hand sanitizer, with classrooms and items such as desks also being washed and sanitized regularly. School officials will also again be taking temperatures of students and staff twice a day, once in the morning and again at lunch, as a preventative measure.
“It’s exactly the same as last year,” he said.
Similar to the previous academic year, Brown said representatives from all three school districts have met over the summer months with health officials to help coordinate any efforts to minimize the impact of the pandemic.
“We continue to work closely with all Sheridan school districts and the Sheridan County Public Health department to stay apprised of the latest conditions in our county,” said Pete Kilbride, Sheridan County School District 1 superintendent. “The superintendents continue to meet regularly, as well as staying informed on how other counties are responding, and we support one another.
“We continue to perform enhanced cleaning in our buildings and wiping down high-touch areas regularly to help with the spread of not only COVID-19 but regular colds and flu as well,” he said.
Overall, Brown said the policies adopted by the three school districts are similar. That includes when students are encouraged to wear masks when riding a bus and at school-related activities, as well as in the classroom.
There are some differences, however. SCSD2 students participating in athletics and other activities will be required to wear masks while on buses.
Individuals who test positive for the virus will isolate until they meet three requirements, including no fever for at least 24 hours without the help of any fever-reducer, symptoms have improved and it’s at least 10 days since symptoms first began.
In case of a close contact with an infected individual, a person will be required to isolate for 10 days or seven days after receiving a negative test result. Vaccinated persons, however, will not be required to quarantine if exposed to a positive case.
SCSD2 Superintendent Scott Stults said, in essence, there has been no real change in policy, compared to the end of the 2020-21 school year. Though, all three superintendents said that is subject to change.
“This plan is based on the current realities of Sheridan County and can be modified as needed,” Stults said.
Kilbride added the increasing number of cases of the Delta variant in the county lead to the policy being updated.
“This means it is up to parents and staff to decide if they will choose to wear face coverings or not,” Kilbride added. “This situation is fluid and we will adjust as necessary.”
All three school districts have posted COVID-19 plans on their respective websites.
Unlike the county’s three K-12 districts, Sheridan College continued to require masks to be worn through the completion of the 2020-21 academic year.
In March, Northern Wyoming Community College District President Walt Tribley said college officials didn’t want to risk the chance of an outbreak of the virus with graduation ceremonies just weeks away.
Students returning this fall, however, will find that wearing a mask will be their choice.
College officials announced effective Aug. 23 that all in-person classes would resume at full capacity and on-campus housing, including shared rooms, would return to regular occupancy.
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August 21, 2021 at 02:00PM
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Local districts reiterate COVID plans for upcoming school year - The Sheridan Press
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