“So far, so good,” said USD 252 Superintendent Mike Argabright when asked his feelings on the start of the 2020 school year in Southern Lyon County.
Argabright was one of the latest area superintendents to speak with KVOE on the subject. He says there have been a few minor hiccups here and there, which is to be expected in a COVID-19 world, however, he says the district has done well in addressing any complications that have arisen to this point.
According to Argabright, the district has 94 percent of students attending in-person education this year. He says the percentage is and isn’t surprising to him as recent district surveys showed more than 80 percent of district patrons wanted in-person education this year.
Argabright says the district has a number of new policies, procedures and equipment all designed to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread. The district’s screening process begins at home with parents conducting a survey questionnaire each morning before students head off to the bus stop or school building.
On top of temperature checks and questionnaires, Argabright says the district is also utilizing ultraviolet lighting, implementing air purifiers and has doubled the district’s bandwidth. He says the cost for these implementations is about three times more than the district’s traditional expenses, however, the exact price tag is not available at this time.
Argabright says the district is anticipating CARES Act funding that will help offset costs for equipment down the road, however, those funds are still in the approval process at the state level.
KVOE will be continuing to check in with area school districts as the school year continues to kickoff and as it unfolds.
