To the parents of students in the Buhl School District
Monday, August 17th marks the start of an historic opening of schools here in Buhl in the midst of a pandemic. The administrators and staff of the Buhl School District are looking forward to having students in their classrooms once again. We are starting with a modified schedule of alternating days for students. We want to provide the safest possible environment for your students and the school staff. To that end we are implementing several of the recommended strategies to help prevent the spread of the virus including focusing on social distancing, emphasizing hand sanitizing, and disinfecting the facilities and classrooms frequently. Face coverings are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED but not required. These strategies (masks, social distancing, hand sanitizing, and regular cleaning) are the most recommended strategies to mitigate the spread of the virus.
The modified schedule will be in effect from August 17 to September 11.
Today (Aug. 13) South Central Public Health Department released its first risk level
assessments for the counties within its jurisdiction. Twin Falls County has been placed
in the “Moderate Risk” category overall with two of the indicators (positivity rate, and
average new cases) in the High Risk level. Here is link to that information:
That designation falls within our plan’s guidelines, Category 2, Moderate Risk, and
affirms our plan to open with a modified schedule.
We will try to make decisions about any changes in the school schedule far enough in
advance to help parents and staff make plans, preferably not less than one week prior to
a change.
To clarify the opening school schedule, your children have been identified as being in
either Group A or Group B based on the last name of the oldest student in your
household. If you have questions, please contact the building principal where your
oldest child attends. Students will come on alternate days according to the group they
are assigned.
Teachers will have activities and assignments for students for the days they are not in
attendance. There are several days in the schedule identified as “Distance Learning
Days”. Teachers are working with their administrators to determine what these days will
look like. As soon as each building’s plan for those days is finalized, they will contact
you.
Here is what the opening school schedule looks like:
Mon., Aug. 17:
Popplewell Group A open house and orientation for students and parents; MS and HS Group A students start school
Tue., Aug. 18:
Popplewell Group B open house and orientation for students and parents; MS and HS Group B students start school
Wed., Aug. 19:
Popplewell Group A students start school, Wakapa Group A students start school, MS and HS Group A students attend school
Thur., Aug. 20:
Popplewell Group B students start school, Wakapa Group B students start school; MS and HS Group B students attend school
Fri., Aug. 21:
Distance Learning Day – all students
Mon. Aug. 24:
Group A students all buildings attend school
Tue. Aug. 25:
Group B students all buildings attend school
Wed. Aug. 26:
Group A students all buildings attend school
Thur., Aug. 27:
Group B students all buildings attend school
Fri., Aug. 28:
Distance Learning Day – all students
Mon., Aug. 31:
Group A students all buildings attend school
Tue., Sept. 1:
Group B students all buildings attend school
Wed., Sept. 2:
Distance Learning Day – all students
Thur., Sept. 3 to Mon. Sept. 7:
School Closed for Fair and Labor Day
Tue., Sept. 8:
Group A students all buildings attend school
Wed., Sept. 9:
Group B students all buildings attend school
Thur. Sept. 10:
Group A students all buildings attend school
Fri., Sept. 11:
Group B students all buildings attend school
One final note.
On behalf of the Buhl Board of Trustees, as well as the administrators
and staff of the Buhl School District, I’d like to extend our appreciation to Mayor
McCauley, the Buhl City Council, and Chief Engbaum for deciding to continue their
support for having a School Resource Officer (SRO) on the force and assigning that
officer, Rusty Hawkins, to continue to work with the students of the school district. It
has been my experience that a SRO is an invaluable resource in schools; they build
meaningful relationships with kids, they help prevent many problems before they occur,
and they help keep kids and the community safe.