Tamaqua Area School District has finalized its COVID-19 health and safety plan in preparation for the 2020-21 school year.

The district plans to begin the year with a total reopening for all students and staff, with the option for students to take online classes offered by district teachers. About one in five students have elected to take online courses.

School board members considered the recommendation from the state departments of Health and Education that Schuylkill County schools open with a full-online or hybrid education model, and decided to pursue a total reopening in order to serve the mental and emotional needs of its students.

“When we analyze risk reward we’ve taken the position as a board and administration that it’s overall for the benefit of students to be in school,” said Larry Wittig, president of the Tamaqua Area school board, pointing out that the state’s Safe2Say hotline recently reported an uptick in the percentage of calls related to mental health and thoughts of suicide.

Under the health and safety plan, students will be required to wear masks at all times in school and on the bus.

Social distancing will be encouraged to the maximum extent possible. Hallways have been lined for one-way traffic where possible.

Students and employees will home check before school, and temperature and symptom screening will also take place in the building. The district plans to notify students and staff if they were in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

The district plans to conduct additional cleaning, including disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily, and using disinfectant fogging backpacks. The air exchange rate for ventilation systems in school buildings will be increased.

Communal water fountains will be eliminated in favor of bottled water and bottle filling stations. The cafeteria plans to use disposable silverware. Some meals may be served in the classroom or outside to cut down the number of people eating simultaneously.

School buses will be loaded back to front, with family members sitting together.

Superintendent Raymond Kinder said the district has plenty of supplies on hand to start the year. However they are still accepting donations of masks, disposable gloves, infrared thermometers, hand sanitizer, hand soap, paper towels and sanitizing wipes. Items must be in new condition.

During a meeting held via Zoom on Tuesday, the school board addressed questions regarding the plan.

School nurse Cathy Miorelli asked why the district won’t be heeding the recommendations from the departments of health and education.

School board member Nick Boyle said he believes that school provides a safe haven for students who may not have a stable life at home. He said a hybrid model doesn’t make sense, because the risks to students being in the classroom are the same whether they attend two days a week or five.

“The mental effects that’re going to occur are more dangerous than the COVID, especially in our county where we have such a low rate,” Boyle said.