Hodgen Public School

Return to Learn - Start-Up Plan

First of all, let me thank you for your support and understanding as we as a school and community respond to the challenges of COVID-19. There continues to be concerns and questions related to how schools plan to reopen in August 2020. Our first priority is the safety of our students and employees. We have been working on our start up plan, however we must be proactive and prepared to continue educating our students if and when circumstances change. We are gathering information from the State Department of Education, CDC, Leflore County Health Department and surrounding schools in order to create a plan that best fits Hodgen Public School. All components of this plan are subject to change in order to maintain the safety of our students and staff.

Instructional Plans 

1) Traditional Plan- We would continue school as normal with enhanced safety precautions in place such as increased hand sanitizer availability, increased frequency of cleaning high traffic areas, limited visitation to campuses, etc., in order to possibly prevent the transition to a full distance learning option. (This is our plan for August pending restrictive guidance from State Officials.)

2) Full Distance Learning Plan- All students would participate in learning new material, continued standard pacing, interactive lessons, graded assignments, and assessments. These lessons would be available as online assignments or paper/pencil packets. Our priority is to keep everyone safe while not making life more difficult for our parents. We fully understand your varied concerns about health and safety, distance learning, the importance of face-to-face instruction, parents needing to work and the uniquely different family situations. If for some reason, we can’t be in a traditional school setting, our main objective is to safely have our students in our buildings as much as possible to ensure the health and well-being of all. (Distance Learning would be enacted if we had to close school, or we experienced positive cases in our school.)

We are also taking into consideration that we have medically compromised students. Parents of students with higher risk of severe illness can contact school administration, if needed, before the 20-21 school year. (In case of possible virtual curriculum.)  Thank you for your continued support and positivity as we strive to do what is best for all of our students and employees during these challenging times.

Bus Routes

Hodgen School plans to resume traditional transportation. When possible windows will be down for air circulation. Masks are highly recommended, but not required for students while riding the bus due to the close proximity of students. Masks may be required based on virus spread, or if mandated by state agencies. Seating assignments will be given in order to track any illnesses.

Temperature Checks

It is important that all families partner with us in monitoring the health of your students and families. We ask that temperature checks be taken on a daily basis each morning at home. Any student with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher should remain at home and contact school officials in order to receive the proper procedures for your child to return to school. Hodgen School will check temperatures periodically throughout the school day. This is to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff.

Healthy Practices

Hodgen School will make every effort to promote healthy practices and protocols. Physical Distancing will be implemented as possible. Masks will not be required but are highly recommended for all staff and students. Hodgen School recommends that students bring a personal water bottle in order to minimize person to person exposure.  Hodgen School strongly recommends the wearing of masks on school buses and highly populated areas. Our faculty and staff will monitor all reportable illnesses. Leflore County Health Department and CDC guidance will be utilized for quarantine.

Social Health and Wellness

The Social-Emotional well being of our students is as important as their academic learning. A Hodgen School counselor and staff will be available to help our students and families deal with the challenges of these uncertain times. Hodgen School will increase its cleaning and preparation of facilities in an effort to protect our staff and students. Frequent hand-washing and other healthy protocols will be implemented and practiced. Hand sanitizer will be made available for all students. Upon notification of a positive COVID case in a building, a classroom and/or school will be isolated and cleaned. During class or school closure, distance learning will be implemented.

Limited Visitation to Campus

Parents or visitors may walk their students to the outside doors, but not enter the buildings. No visitors will be allowed in the cafeteria.

Exceptions:
1) First day of school only: Parents may walk students to the doorway of their classroom but not enter the classroom.

2) Student Checkout: Parents may enter the building through the brown double doors near the Superintendent’s office in order to sign their child out of school early, or call the office and the student can be picked up in front of the brown double doors.

Practice for a Positive Case in School

1) A student who has tested positive for COVID-19 will be part of contact tracing by the Leflore County Health Department. Such tracking will require the whereabouts of the student in school to be communicated to the health department.

2) On the advice of the health department, parents of other students who have been in close contact with the student who tested positive for COVID-19 will be contacted immediately.

3) Classrooms of a student that tested positive will be thoroughly sanitized, and the entire classroom will go to distance learning for 14 days (quarantined). Siblings of the student who tested positive may also be required to be quarantined.

4) Grab and go meals will be provided for students who have been placed in quarantine. Delivery will be dictated by the district’s Child Nutrition capabilities.

5) If the absentee rate of a building or district reaches 35%, then the building or district will go to distance learning for 14 days with the count starting on the first day of distance learning.

6) Letters, texts, and call-outs to communicate that a positive COVID-19 case has been identified will be sent to staff and parents of the site with the case. Student attendance will be communicated at that time.

This Plan is subject to change in order to deal with the ever changing situation that we are in as a school, community, and nation.

*This document is available below for download.

*Attention JOM students: 

Supplies will be delivered to you

on the first day of school.* 

Congratulations to

Mrs. Kaci Roberts

and her being awarded

Teacher of Today!