Itasca County Schools Establish Protocols to Combat COVID-19

Schools throughout the country are taking measures to help stop the spread of coronavirus and those in Itasca County are no different. Several superintendents are leading their schools to act in response to the virus.

ITASCA COUNTY – Schools throughout the country are taking measures to help stop the spread of coronavirus and those in Itasca County are no different. Several superintendents are leading their schools to act in response to the virus.

From Greenway and Deer River to Nashwauk-Keewatin and Bigfork, protocols are being implemented to make sure students stay safe during these times.

In the Greenway school district, a distance learning model has been in place for K through 12 since November 19th. Superintendent David Pace hopes to return on December 14th with a different model including some grade levels coming back to the physical school.

“We’re in a constant state of change, which has been difficult for teaching staff,” said David Pace, the superintendent for Greenway schools. “It’s been difficult for our support staff and very difficult for our parents and families too.”

On the other hand, Deer River schools started as hybrid and are maintaining the model. On a normal day, there is about 25% occupancy, which has been good for spacing since students can decide to take classes online only. The hybrid plan was designed to operate under a 50% occupancy rate.

“It’s gone on long enough now, and there’s some fatigue related to it so we’ve just really been trying to focus on the variables that we can’t control,” said Dr. Jeff Pesta, the superintendent for Deer River schools.

In Nashwauk-Keewatin, students started all in-person and went to distance learning on November 23rd for grades K through 12.

“It’s incredible,” said Brenda Spartz, the superintendent and high school principal at Nashwauk-Keewatin Schools. “It’s incredible what we’ve asked people to do and how they’ve responded.”

Bigfork and Grand Rapids schools are also doing a distance learning reset and are now examining the data for a change on December 14th.

Superintendent Matt Grose says staffing is a big issue for the school district because that determines the other services being provided.

“Ability to put teachers in front of kids, the ability to support students with our educational support professionals or paras, our ability to drive buses and serve food,” said Matt Grose, the superintendent for Bigfork and Grand Rapids schools.

Itasca County has experienced 207 cases in the past seven days and there was one death from this past weekend with 24 overall since the pandemic began.