As COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the State of Minnesota, many School Districts are making changes to their policies on masking and social distancing requirements. The Crookston Public School District began Level 3 of their health and safety Measures on October 4, which includes Elementary students and staff required to wear masks and social distancing of three feet at the High School.
Once again, Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson provided the biggest reason for the change and some exemptions for students not to mask. “Our movement to level 3 has more to do with trying to keep students in school,” said Olson. “I would love to say that these moves will inhibit the virus, but I can’t say it necessarily will. K-6 are now required to wear masks with some medical exemptions, and when they are physically exerting themselves, they also won’t be required to wear a mask.”
Olson’s goal is to try and make this strategy as common-sense as possible with the intent to limit close contacts and keep students in school. One other new rule is that students who are wearing masks and don’t show symptoms of COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine even if they are a close contact.
Below is how other nearby School Districts in Northwest Minnesota are adjusting and what policies are currently in place.
FISHER SCHOOL DISTRICT
According to Fisher Public School District Elementary Principal Josh Mailhot, the Fisher School District is staying with the same policy that’s been in place since the beginning of the school year and recommending K-12 to wear masks. The district is strongly encouraging all students who can be vaccinated to get vaccinated and to wear masks but are not requiring it at this time.
CLIMAX-SHELLY SCHOOL DISTRICT
According to Climax-Shelly School District Superintendent Dan Dalchow, the district will also be sticking with its initial policy at this time and recommend but not require that all students wear masks. No other guidelines are currently in place.
FERTILE BELTRAMI SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Fertile-Beltrami School District is also currently recommending but not requiring masks or social distancing. According to Superintendent Brian Clarke, this is the same policy that has been in place since the beginning of the school year.
RED LAKE FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Red Lake Falls School District has made a jump to the next level in their health and safety measures, as they now require masks at the elementary level, and any close contacts at the High School will not have to quarantine if they were wearing a mask and show no symptoms. According to Red Lake Falls School District Superintendent James Guetter, this year has so far been worse than what he saw last year, and they are acting as seen fit to protect their students.
High School students are strongly encouraged to wear masks, especially if they have not been vaccinated.
WARREN-ALVARADO-OSLO SCHOOL DISTRICT
Warren-Alvarado-Oslo School District Superintendent Kirk Thorstenson says one change has been made for the district. The district will now be quarantining close contacts at the High School level. This new rule is in effect as of October 4 and applies regardless of if a student was wearing a mask or not.
Crookston Public Schools Superintendent Jeremy Olson believes you can make a case that the beginning of this year is worse than any point of last year when it comes to students having their school interrupted because of COVID-19. “As far as an impact on school goes, I would say yes,” said Olson. “You don’t feel that in the community, though. It feels very normal, and people are getting back to normal life, but the problem is that the spread is just as bad as it was last year, even if it doesn’t feel like it is within the community.”
Crookston Public Schools will be reviewing the data every two weeks with Polk County Public Health to determine whether they will need to advance or lower their health & safety measures. Monday, October 18, will be the next day the district reviews the data. All decisions will be based on what’s happening within the School District and within the city of Crookston.
