District superintendents talk schools reopening

But many challenges remain before students can be brought back into the classroom

COEUR d’ALENE — Two school district superintendents outlined challenges and hopes for bringing students back to classrooms this fall.

Dr. Becky Meyer of the Lakeland Joint School District and Dena Naccarato of the Post Falls School District spoke before about 50 people — a handful wearing masks — during the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce’s Upbeat Breakfast at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

Dr. Steven Cook of the Coeur d’Alene School District did not attend.

Naccarato said the reopening of schools is their biggest challenge.

“I think everyone would agree that it’s absolutely critical that we get our kids back in school,” she said. “So how can we do that in the most effective, safe and consistent manner, recognizing that inevitably, we may have a case of COVID in one of our buildings and how do we proceed from there? How do we ensure that kids continue to get a consistent education despite what’s happening right now.”

Naccarato said recent months have been stressful for families and concern is growing about the social and emotional effects the situation is taking on children.

So when they consider bringing students back to school, it’s not only looking at academic achievement, but physical safety, too.

“We want to support families moving forward to be sure kids are getting everything they can possibly get,” she said.

Meyer said Idaho has one of the highest teen suicide rates in the country.

“This, the COVID, staying at home, has not helped that at all,” she said.

Humans, Meyer said, “are not made to be isolated,” and need interaction.

“One of our biggest struggles is how do we get that,” Meyer said.

It won’t be easy.

“If you guys have seen a class of kindergartners and tell them to social distance, not possible,” she said.

“Social distancing is really hard and difficult and humans just aren’t designed for that,” Meyer added.

She said “polarity” with the issue is growing.

“This has really polarized a lot of communities, and ours is not an exception,” she said.

Meyer asked for the public’s patience as they deal with a complex situation.

“Really try to concentrate on that fact that we are trying the best we can,” she said.

Naccarato also warned people against believing everything they read on social media and if they have questions, call her.

“We’re finding through this thing people are relying more and more on social media for news and sometimes that information is incorrect or doesn’t contain the whole story, which makes our job incredibly difficult,” she said.

She said currently, Kootenai County is in what could be considered a phase with mild to moderate community spread of the coronavirus.

Naccarato said if the Lakeland Joint School District does open, intense cleaning and sanitizing, hand washing and trying to enforce social distancing will be the new normal.

“How do we provide a consistent education that kids and parents can count on while still ensuring the safety of the kids physically with social distancing whenever appropriate?” she said.

For instance, social distancing on a school bus would mean it could carry only 12 children. The district doesn’t have enough drivers or buses to do that, she said.

To reduce classroom size, it may look at morning sessions for some students and afternoon for others.

“It’s a highly complex situation when you consider transportation, food service, child care, maintenance,” she said.

Naccarato said the district hopes to have its reopening plan complete for the board’s review by the end of July and be able to share it with families in August.

Meyer said they are still brainstorming ideas to connect teachers and students.

“But putting all of the kids back in one classroom without social distancing, it’s probably not, in the current state we’re in, it won’t be possible,” she said.

She said there likely will be a case of a student or teacher being diagnosed with the virus, so some students might have to self isolate and go to online learning.

The district must be prepared to respond to many different scenarios, Meyer added

“We really have to have every student be learning every day,” she said.

Regarding whether fall sports might happen, Naccarato said that’s not something she decides, but said if she had to guess, “I’d give it a 50/50 at best.”

“I know it’s a big part of everything that kids do,” she said. “I just don’t know.”

Cook, in an email to The Press Tuesday, said he had hoped to participate in the Upbeat Breakfast discussion and asked the Chamber of Commerce if he could join the panel on a video link due to his concerns about the coronavirus and being in a room filled with people.

“We learned Monday that would not be an option for this meeting, and so regrettably I was not able to take part,” he said.