St. Edward High Releases Reopening Plan

LAKEWOOD, OH — St. Edward High has released its phase I plan for safely reopening in the fall.

The school will welcome students back on Sept. 16, according to the plan. The initial daily schedule will be flexible, giving students time to acclimate to in-person classes again.

"The additional instructional time will be helpful to both students and teachers, as it maximizes student learning and the ability to fill gaps from the remote learning period last year," wrote Jim Kubacki, St. Edward High president, in a letter to families.

Once classes resume, everyone entering the high school will have to wear a mask. Students who can't wear a mask for medical reasons must wear a face shield.

"Masks protect others. Wearing a mask is an act of servant leadership that prioritizes the safety of fellow community members," the reopening plan said.

Students and staff will also undergo daily COVID-19 symptom evaluations. Anyone who has a temperature of 100 degrees or more will be sent home.

Students should remain home if they have contact with someone who has contracted COVID-19, or have any of the following symptoms:

• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Loss of taste or smell
• Chills
• Nausea
• Body aches
• Runny nose

Students who are ill or unable to come to school will have the option to join their classes remotely. Attendance tallies will include students who are present virtually.

Large group gatherings, specifically indoors, will be avoided. Events like all-school mass and lunch will take place in cohorted groups, to allow for better social distancing. Students will be spaced 3 feet apart in classrooms and 6 feet apart in all other areas of the building.

Frequent hand washing among students and staff will be encouraged. Daily sanitation of the building will be another focus.

If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the St. Edward leadership will report the case to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and follow all relevant health and safety guidelines, the report said.

The full reopening plan can be found online.

"We also understand that not everything is necessarily known about COVID-19. Conditions have changed throughout these past four-plus months and will likely continue to change as we go forward. Our planning is our best judgment at this point in time guided by the best available science at this time. Therefore, we are thinking of reopening as broad phases, knowing we must continue to be nimble and adjust as we navigate this road," Kubacki said in his letter.