Northland Schools share learning plans for fall

All summer long, Northland Superintendents have been meeting with health officials to determine what the upcoming school year will look like.

The majority have decided to proceed with in-person learning, granted that COVID-19 case levels remain low and CDC recommendations do not suggest otherwise.

In Minnesota, Duluth, Esko, Proctor, Carlton and Hermantown are among schools proceeding with in-person learning plans.

“We are fully intending on being in person this year,” Carlton School District Superintendent John Engstrom said

“We want to get back to good teaching and what we do best,” Hermantown School District Superintendent Wayne Whitwam said.

In Wisconsin, students will also return to both Bayfield and Superior Schools. They will also continue to track COVID-19 case levels and recommendations from the CDC.

“We are excited to be offering full in person learning five days per week, similar to pre-COVID,” Superior District Administrator Amy Starzecki said. “We will be utilizing CDC recommended strategies for the health & safety of our staff and students.”

Like last year, Northland schools plan to clean common areas frequently and space students out where they can.

Insuring that sick students stay home will also be a priority.

“We really need to get that message out to parents that if your kids are not feeling well, you need to keep them home,” Whitwam said.

Duluth Public Schools announced that students preschool through fifth grade will need to wear masks at school, while all students will need to wear masks on district transportation.

Other districts are still assessing whether masks will be required.

“If numbers rise in our school, then we would require masks, but I would rather require masks at some point than I would not have students here,” Whitwam said.

For schools, welcoming students back is very exciting.

“I do believe our families and our kids are very much looking forward to coming back this fall and having a year that looks like what everybody is used to when they think of schools and school years and a schedule,” Engstrom said.