All eyes on North Kansas City Schools; early openings put COVID-19 to the test

Facebook picture from North Kansas City School District

So far, so good.

The North Kansas City School District is stepping out as an early tester of the pandemic-precautions that other schools across the area hope to engage in getting back into classrooms for 2020-2021.

Because the district has a pair of schools on a year-round schedule, NKC Schools had extra motivation to get kids back into their buildings sooner than later.

While most schools have kept their summer school programming virtual, NKC Schools this week took the first step by opening a limited in-school summer school program.

The next leap comes next week, July 13, when the year-round schools — Crestview and Winnwood elementary schools — resume what would have been their return from the July 4 Holiday break.

School districts will have extra latitude to alter the structure of their school weeks, mixing in-class and virtual options. The state school board passed emergency rules Tuesday to allow districts to deviate from class-time requirements in Missouri statutes.

“I don’t think the authors of the statute envisioned anything like COVID-19,” Deputy Education Commissioner Kari Monsees told KCUR.

North Kansas City’s two year-round schools have been out of their buildings, like everyone else, since mid-March. But they will get a jump at a restart ahead of the Aug. 24 opening that most area school districts have set. The school board approved a safety plan last month, and the district is proceeding with caution.

“The health and wellness of students, teachers and staff remains our top priority,” the district posted to its families on Facebook. “As such, our reopening of school buildings will adhere to all national, state and local public health guidelines. NKC Schools has been in close contact with the Clay County Health Department throughout the spring and summer, and will continue to follow their guidance.”

“A team of more than forty individuals including physicians, district leaders, teachers, staff members, parents and community members,” the statement read, “have been hard at work over the last several months to draft a plan that ensures students safely return to learning when the school year begins. Working documents have been shared with our Collaborative Team for Teacher Negotiations, in addition to those participating in summer school and/or attending our Extended Calendar schools. Continual revisions are being made. As new information presents itself in the coming months, this draft plan will be modified accordingly.”

Anxiety over the opening of schools has grown as the number of coronavirus cases in the Kansas City area and nationwide have spiked. But many voices are urging schools and their communities to work toward safe openings.