Pinckneyville schools will resume all in-school on Monday

Unlike Du Quoin, which is approaching the start of the 2020-21 school year with a blended approach of both in-school and remote learning, Pinckneyville Community High School will start classes Monday 100% in school.

In what Superintendent Keith Hagene describes as a "cooperative, collaborative effort" among the feeder schools and the Perry County Health Department, PCHS will open the year with a traditional five-day in-school instruction schedule.

"The value of in-person student and teacher interaction is key to student success and learning," Hagene and Principal Tony Wilson declared, saying they also consulted their faculty and staff leaders.

All staff members met this week to organize lessons, review expectations for health and safety protocols, and to clarify some changes to the school day schedule. PCHS also held orientation meetings for students and parents on Tuesday and Thursday evenings this week to present the same information to everyone involved, with sessions devoted to general information and protocols led by administrators, and health information led by PCHS Nurse Cathy Chapman.

State and local health departments have issued the guidance that PCHS will follow for the use of masks, social distancing, and hand-washing/hand sanitizer.

Among the changes in the schedule are slightly shorter class periods, in order to add a second lunch period and reduce the number of students in the cafeteria at one time. Also, multiple designated areas limiting the number of students in each area will be used for the lunch periods and for the morning arrival and breakfast time. A staggered dismissal schedule at the end of the day will be implemented, especially to accommodate coordinated bus routes between PCHS and the feeder schools.

Teachers will have planning time at the end of each day to meet with students for individual and small-group assistance, officials said. As well, teachers will be able to make virtual contact with the few students who have opted out of in-person instruction for the semester - most of whom with health conditions - or to prepare packets of information for those students who have indicated they do not have reliable access to appropriate technology.

The earlier dismissal times will give the maintenance staff additional time for deep cleaning and sanitizing at the end of each school day, and the maintenance staff schedules have changed to have full-time and co-op student helpers working throughout the day to clean high-touch surfaces.

As well, each bus will be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after completing both before and after school bus routes.

For all of the planning, the personal responsibility of following the guidance and protocols comes down to each individual. As this week's planning and preparation for teachers and families moves to next week's opening, Hagene noted how adaptable and supportive the community has been, expressing confidence that people are cooperative in helping students "be in school and stay in school."

The SIU-C Pre-K that is housed at PCHS will use a hybrid model to start the year, with students divided into M-W and T-Th in-school attendance and Friday remote learning.