By returning to in-person education and following the school’s regular calendar and class schedule for the 2020-2021 school year, Saint Agnes Catholic Parish School in Butler promises some continuity for its students whose lives were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classes will resume on Monday, Aug. 24, Saint Agnes Catholic Parish School Principal Chris Gordon told the Wisconsin Catholic Tribune.

Gordon said that she has heard mostly positive responses from students’ families about the school’s plans for returning to in-person education with precautions in place to lessen the chance of transmission of the coronavirus.

Chris Gordon | http://www.stagnesparish.org/

“In general, our families are supportive of those measures necessary to protect the health and welfare of our school community while welcoming their children back to St. Agnes for onsite learning,” she said. “St. Agnes School will practice social distancing and precautions following CDC guidelines and Wisconsin [Education] Forward to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.”

According to the CDC website, in addition to social distancing, the agency currently recommends that schools implement procedures including masks for students and staff, a regular cleaning and disinfecting regimen both in school buildings and on school transportation vehicles, and increased emphasis on hand-washing. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services references the CDC guidance for many aspects of what is recommended for schools as the academic year approaches.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction has also devised a School Health Services COVID-19 Infection Control and Mitigation Toolkit, which discusses measures such as reduced class sizes and staggered arrival and dismissal times. The Toolkit also offers ideas such as using classroom space for meals in order to minimize student contact.

Additional information regarding admissions and school functions can be found on the St. Agnes website.