South Washington Schools To Discuss Fall Plans At Aug. 3 Meeting

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — South Washington County School administrators are set to announce a final recommendation on a learning model to the school board during a special Aug. 3 meeting. Districts officials say they are currently reviewing options and guidelines for reopening schools this fall that were released by the state Thursday.

Information about fall schedules will be shared by Aug. 7.

The guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health encourage school buildings to reopen, or remain closed, depending on the number of COVID-19 cases in their county.

The state's data model measures cases by county over 14 days per 10,000 people. The bi-weekly case rate for Washington County from July 5-18 indicates a 14.84 case rate. That means in-person learning for elementary students and hybrid learning for secondary students is recommended.

All schools that do open during the school year must follow public health guidelines on masks, social distancing, personal hygiene, screening, and cleaning practices.

Minnesota's departments of education and health will work with school districts throughout the school year to help districts decide if and when they need to dial between learning models depending on the progression and cause of the virus in their specific community.

"We know that the state’s decision this late in the summer puts a significant burden on schools, teachers and families," South County Washington Schools said in a release.

"This is especially true as you work to plan for child care. We know you have questions, but the district, schools and principals will not be able to respond to specific concerns until we review all of the state’s guidance to see how it fits within our system. Please know that we are working as quickly as possible to provide a detailed and thorough plan for the start of the school year."

Read more: Gov. Walz Announces 'Safe Learning Plan' For Minnesota Schools