Coshocton City mandates masks; optional at other county schools
WARSAW – Kindergartener Adalyn Miller was excited to start her first day of school. She anxiously waited with her grandmother, Lynn Karr, and father, Robbie Miller, outside Warsaw Elementary School for the first bell of the 2021 to 2022 school year.
Students in the River View school district started back Thursday. Coshocton City and Ridgewood begin Monday and all students will be in the Coshocton County Career Center on Wednesday.
All districts have put out safe return to school guidelines, which could change throughout the year based on the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, masks and desk dividers are optional in Ridgewood and River View. Social distancing has been reduced from six feet to three feet. Additional cleaning of classrooms and high touch surfaces will carryover from last year.
Coshocton City Schools Board of Education at its regular meeting Thursday voted that face coverings will be required for students and staff in buildings during school hours to start the year. The same mask exemptions as recognized in the past will be again.
Superintendent David Hire said the change was made because the board believed wearing masks gives students the best chance to remain in school and keep everyone as safe as possible, especially as most students aren't vaccinated.
The policy will be revisited at the Oct. 21 board meeting.
“It's really about being proactive and keeping our kids in their classrooms,” Hire said. “There's no ill intent. It's just having concerns with what's happening with schools across the country, quarantining and the number of cases that are continuing to surge.”
Returning to normalcy
Principal Beth Hamersley of Warsaw Elementary School, transferred from principal at Keene Elementary, said staff and students are excited to have what is hoped to be a fairly normal year. Safety is a priority, but so is giving children the
best education possible, Hamersley said. Warsaw Elementary has more than 450 students in kindergarten to sixth grade.
“We quickly found out last year when were doing the remote learning, that students need to be in school with face to face instruction. Learning over the computer is not ideal,” she said. “Most students don't learn well, 100% in that manner. That certainly became very evident last year. You can't replace that human connection children need.”
Second grade teacher Janie Sarchet agreed. She said some activities she's done in the past students still can't do, like sharing reading books and a pen for a pass the pen writing activity. But she's glad they can interact more with each other and her, minus masks and desk dividers.
“The kids learning is so affected by not being here with their peers and not being able to interact with each other and having that interaction with teachers the way we're accustomed to. There's a new normal and there will be changes, but last year was not normal for them,” Sarchet said. “It's hard to not have that physical interaction.”
Parents pleased for school starting
Derek Wetzel walked his children to school for their first day in the district as they recently moved to Warsaw. Tegan Woodward is entering fifth grade and Dallas Rose Wetzel is entering third grade.
“I wanted them to be comfortable going to school on their first day and it gives us time to talk,” Derek said on walking his kids to the door.
He's happy to see some pandemic restrictions being loosened, including the wearing of facial coverings. Robbie and Karr were also happy that Adalyn's introduction to school will be a fairly standard year, at least to start.
“I don't want my kids to wear a mask for eight hours, that's unnecessary. I'm glad the teachers are taking the time to get the vaccine and everything,” Derek said. llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com @llhayhurst 740-295-3417