Quincy Reporter

Families in Quincy Public School District 172 received the following email from Superintendent Roy Webb on July 8:

Teachers, Parents, and Students of the Blue Devil Family,

I have read your survey responses and social media posts and questions. I appreciate the communication. The schools continue to ask for your input, so please complete their surveys and requests for information. We live in a rapidly changing time, so please be patient and expect a bit of chaos from time to time. 

We will begin school on 20 August. All parents and students may opt for in-person instruction at the school or they may opt for online remote learning. You will be making that decision during online registration. You will have to stay with that option until the quarter in PreK-8, and the semester for 9-12. As a class, school, or district, we may have to pivot to remote learning at any time, due to positive COVID cases. Hang on, it will be a bit crazy. Our schools will include core content, and the arts, and PE and electives. 

Students will be required to wear face coverings. We will take breaks. We will go outside where we can social distance better. The preferred face covering is a mask, but if that is not working, we will allow a face shield. If you have a doctor’s note, you can be exempt from wearing the face covering. I know this is a passionate subject. I have read from experts throughout the country and world including the CDC, IDPH, John Hopkins, Harvard, QMG, and Blessing. They all agree, if school is in-person, this is the best thing I can do to slow the spread and keep us in school. 

Busing is a challenge. State guidelines say we can place 50 on a bus. We will run our usual routes. I am asking anyone who can walk, ride a bike, get a ride from parents, relatives, or neighbors, please do NOT use the school bus. This will allow those who must ride a bus, a safer experience. Driver, passengers, and employees must ALL wear face coverings. This is a risk mitigation control measure.

All students will be screened for a temperature check prior to entering a bus or the school. Those that have a temperature above 100.0 will be isolated and they will be sent home. Do not just drop off your five-year old at the bus and leave. Wait for the screening.

School levels (ECFC, Elementary, junior high, and high school) are working on individual plans and will communicate those soon. Their schedules may be a bit different than last year. They will socially distance in classrooms the best they can. Except at the high school, they will keep students in the same group all day as best they can. We will clean thoroughly daily. We will stress and teach hygiene and safe practices. 

There is risk in our plans. I cannot guarantee a student or staff member will not contract this virus. I cannot ensure someone will not get sick. Our staff and our parents are nervous and tentative. I understand that 100%. We have a few staff members that will not return due to their health or a family members health. I support them. Parents that make that decision, I will support you. We will be starting a new school year, with new learning, so our remote learning plans will be much different than our remote plans from last spring. They are good plans and are designed to mirror in-person learning. 

I could eliminate risk for our staff and students by recommending we stay remote learning. I have been told by the state board of education, pediatric association, and other experts that this would be harmful to our children. Some of our children have been isolated for five months. They need our teachers, they need their education, they need their life. I agree, it is time to bring kids back to school. The Regional Office of Education and the Adams County Health Department have read our entire plan and support the plan.

Again, I know you are tired of the virus, with the inconvenience, with decisions, and with me. The experts tell me there is risk. The experts tell me that in-person is needed for children. We will do the best we can. I appreciate your patience and communication. My email is webbro@qps.org. That is the best way to communicate to me. I may miss you if you tag me on Facebook or Twitter. Somedays, I avoid those completely. Enjoy your summer. Six weeks until school! 

Roy Webb, Quincy Public Schools. Go Blue Devils!