On Monday, July 27, the Groton Area Board of Education reviewed and adopted the return-to-school plan for the District. We anticipate this plan will require changes and modifications as our understanding of the virus improves and we get new recommendations from local, state, and federal health officials.
The plan is based on updated guidance from the South Dakota Department of Education, South Dakota Department of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and parent/staff survey results. A committee composed of 13 individuals including board members, school administrators, teachers, and parents has spent hours reviewing information and developing a plan to allow for a safe return to school this fall while acknowledging the real possibility of the need to implement remote learning at some point during the 2020-2021 school year.
The plan includes information for families about choices available to them during the 2020-2021 school year, namely the option to participate in education remotely if that is in their best interest.
The documents also indicate what is expected when students are diagnosed with COVID-19 or other illnesses and what to expect when students are determined to be a "close contact" with someone who has tested positive.
We believe that we will be ready to provide a top-quality education to our students regardless of what this year brings.