The Polk School District will be opening up campuses and classrooms for the beginning of the second semester on January 5, but with an eye toward ensuring student and faculty safety with the use of masks and social distancing.

A statement from Superintendent Laurie Akints today reminded families who are concerned about the increase ahead and amid the holidays of new COVID-19 cases in Polk County, but will continue the same “mitigation strategies and protocols established at the beginning of the school year.” That includes a four-day week from Tuesdays to Fridays (as setup last fall after a COVID-19 bump following the start of the year.)

“As referenced before our holiday break, we cannot monitor where our students or employees go, or who they are exposed to; however, in an effort to protect everyone, we are once again asking our students to wear masks for the next two weeks,” the statement said. “The District is also requiring all employees to wear masks or face shields for the first two weeks after our return.”

The District does understand that some students that may be unable to wear a mask, and the policy the district is taking is to not punish or criticized for not wearing one.

“If possible, we want everyone to do their part in keeping our PSD family healthy,” the statement read. “In addition, we want to make sure we do everything possible to continue the face-to-face instruction, ectra-curriculars, and athletic opportunities for our students.”

Included in efforts is social distancing when possible, regular hand sanitization by students and faculty, thorough cleaning of classrooms and campuses over three-day weekends, and altering the lunch and class schedules are also efforts being taken to reduce the potential for COVID-19 exposure to schools at-large. Their hopes are to keep positive cases lower heading into the coming start of the new semester.

The statement from Atkins concluded that with the help of students and faculty doing their part now, the ability to have regular traditions and a “more sustainable ‘normal’” is what everyone hopes to achieve with the start of 2021.