The Butler Area School Board has approved a school reopening health and safety plan that calls for temperature checks for students and staff, hand washing schedules in elementary schools, and social distancing when possible when the 2020-21 school year begins Sept. 1.

Unanimously approved Monday night, the plan is the product of recommendations from six COVID-19 working groups and discussions the administration had with county commissioners, city emergency management staff, colleges and hospitals aimed at meeting state directives for resuming operations during the green reopening phase of the coronavirus pandemic and providing the 180 days of instruction required during the school year by the Pennsylvania School Code.

“Our goal is to be ready to open for the fall,” Superintendent Brian White said.

The plan could be revised if changes are needed or new directives are handed down from the state, he said.

The reopening plan had to be submitted to the state for the district to open July 1. Opening then allows the district to begin scheduling special education student evaluations on July 6, White said.

Maintenance staff has been working since the green phase was initiated June 5. Cafeteria staff has been working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic preparing meals for more than 2,100 students.

White said the plan strives to keep operations as normal as possible. Social distancing isn't required, but it will be used as needed, White said.

Faculty and staff are required to wear face masks when working within 6 feet of others and cleaning interior surfaces, and they are encouraged to wear masks at other times.

Face masks are not required in the green phase and students are not required to wear them, but their use is encouraged, according to the plan.

Social distancing is not required on school buses, White said.

Employees will be asked to perform daily self-health checks, and students and staff are required to take temperature checks with no-contact thermometers when they enter their schools. Those with temperatures above a designated temperature will be sent home and will not be allowed to return until cleared by their doctors.

Hand-washing is required in elementary schools. Each school will develop hand-washing schedules for students and staff throughout the school day. Hand-washing is encouraged at the high school and intermediate high school, and hand sanitizing stations will be located in classrooms and building entrances.

White said 559 hand sanitizing stations and 24 temperature check stations are needed, and shielding will be installed at 59 locations in the schools.

White said wide hallways in schools will be divided into two lanes and narrow hallways will be one-way only.

The board also approved an athletic health and safety plan that allows for teams to begin training and activities June 24. The athletics plan does not require state approval, White said.

When school begins, elementary and secondary students will be able to choose how they want their education delivered.

Learning pathways options include traditional classroom instruction, online learning or a hybrid combination of in-person and online instruction for secondary students, and traditional or online instruction for elementary students.

The online program uses the same education plan as the traditional program, but teachers are free to use their own approaches to teaching and select their own materials.

Board member Bill Halle said some teachers are anxious about teaching online, but the program could result in fewer district students enrolling in cyber charter schools.

“This is a good way to compete against cyber charter schools. It's a great option to compete for those students,” Halle said.