These faith-based private schools will offer in-person classes, remote option this fall
Lynden Christian Schools and Assumption Catholic School are planning to have in-person classes without rotating schedules when they reopen in the fall.
Details for each schools’ plans are still being developed as pandemic conditions continue to change but they plan to follow state health guidelines and finalize their plans before the start of instruction, school administrators said. Lynden Christian Schools plans to start on Sept. 1 while Assumption Catholic School intends to start on Sept 2.
Rather than create hybrid in-person and remote schedules like some larger public-school districts are planning, these schools intend to bring all in-person students to their respective campuses at the same time.
When they start, schools will require physical distancing at least 6 feet as much as possible, face coverings, health screenings, frequent hand washing and more according to guidance from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Here is how Lynden Christian Schools and Assumption Catholic School plan to approach the upcoming school season.
Lynden Christian Schools
Lynden Christian Schools plans to offer in-person classes and an asynchronous remote experience for those who want it, said Superintendent Paul Bootsma. Plans are still being developed but the schools anticipate sharing more details in August.
“We’re really serious about academics, but we’re really serious about our faith,” Bootsma said. “To learn remotely is not the best environment for student learning and so, it has been our deepest hope and our deepest push to have students on campus.”
Bootsma said the schools plan to physically distance students by spacing out seats in their already large classrooms. They expect to seat about 18 to 24 students per classroom even with these conditions, he added.
The schools may also move classes to larger rooms such as auditoriums or music rooms as needed to ensure physical distancing, Bootsma said.
All staff, students and visitors will be required to wear face coverings unless they have a disability. Teachers also have the option of wearing face shields when a visible face is essential for student learning, Bootsma said.
Additionally, there will be temperature checks for everyone entering each building to satisfy the health screening requirement, Bootsma said. Schools will isolate children who show symptoms and send them home, he added.
For recesses and breaks, Bootsma said the schools are committed to making sure students physically distance to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. However, he added it would be difficult to ensure that for younger children.
“We’ll strive to do that, but to do that perfectly I think anybody would be fooling themselves because that’s not the nature of kids,” Bootsma said. “They want to be together, not apart.”
Assumption Catholic School
Assumption Catholic School intends to offer in-person classes and a remote experience for those who cannot return to campus.
To enable physical distancing, the school is spacing out desks and hiring more teachers to teach smaller class sizes, said principal Dan Anderson in an emailed statement. Each class should have fewer than 16 students each under this model, he added.
“All desks will be six feet apart and students will be taught in rows like they used to be,” Anderson said. “It’s contrary to what we know is best practice for collaboration with student learning, but we’ll maintain this as long as we need to so that students can be here in person.”
Masks will be required for all students and adults in the building, Anderson said. Teachers will also be able to choose between cloth masks and face shields that will be provided by the school.
Additionally, students will be assigned a cohort of 12 to 15 students that they stick with throughout the day, Anderson said. These cohorts will be separated at the playground to limit interactions between all students.
If a student contracts the coronavirus, the school plans to isolate them in a designated room until they can go home, Anderson said.
From there, the school will contact the Whatcom County Health Department to follow their guidance on quarantines and closing the school if necessary, he added.
If a full closure is necessary, Anderson said the remote learning option will become the standard school-wide.
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
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