The week of June 29th, four Town Hall Zoom Meetings were held with Paris Independent Staff, Parents, and Community Members to discuss re-entry to school in the fall.
We have compiled a list of the topics that were discussed and the responses to those comments, questions, and concerns as of July 9, 2020. As many of you know, the situation continues to change daily, as do our reponses. We will continue to do our best to keep everyone informed in the coming months as we receive new information.
If you have more questions, comments, concerns, or ideas, please submit them
using this link so that we may address them!
If you have questions regarding a specific student, please give our Central Office a call, Monday-Friday at 859-987-2160.
Thank you!
Parent and Student FAQ
What day will school begin?Our first day for students this fall will be August 26th. (Preschool will begin on September 2nd.) We will offer both an in person every day option as well as our high quality online Greyhound Academy for students who feel unsafe returning to school in person.
Will the change in the start date affect the rest of the academic calendar (Fall break, etc.)?No. All of our scheduled breaks will remain the same. You can access our school board approved calendar
here.What days and times will students attend in-person classes?Students attending class in person will be welcomed every day Monday through Friday. Paris Elementary instructional day will run from 7:35-2:50 and Paris Middle and High School will run from 8:15-3:30.
Will my student have an option to attend school from home?Yes. Students will have the choice to attend our Greyhound Academy from home.
If a student is learning from home, will they be able to use a Chromebook from school?Yes. Our district committed to providing technology for all students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Students who are enrolled in our Greyhound Academy will receive a chromebook to use at home. *The order for these additional chromebooks for Kindergarten through 2nd grade was placed in June. Due to COVID-19 and potential shipping delays, there is a chance that we may not receive these additional chromebooks until after school begins. If that is the case, we will issue chromebooks for grades K-2 as they become available.
Will students and staff be required to wear masks?Students and staff will be required to wear masks at all times when inside of buildings and on busses with regularyl scheduled mask breaks. We are working diligently within our master schedule to provide ample opportunities for social distancing throughout the day for our students and staff.
What type of mask will students be required to wear?Masks can be homemade/cloth, reusable or single use. They do not need to be medical grade. Homemade masks should fit against the side of the face and be secured with ties or ear loops and include multiple layers of fabric. They also should cover both the mouth and nose and maintain their shape after being laundered.
Will Paris Schools provide a mask to my student?We encourage families to provide masks for students. However, if a student needs a mask, one will be provided by the school.
What if a student doesn’t feel comfortable wearing a mask?While students are inside of a school building or on a bus, a mask will be required. The only exception to this is a doctor’s note that requires that a student not wear a mask. In these instances, we will work with the student and family to provide alternative protective PPE on a case by case basis. Additionally, our online Greyhound Academy is open to any student who would prefer to learn from home.
When and where will temperature checks be performed?Temperature checks will be conducted by no touch thermometers either when a child enters a school, or when a child loads on a bus. All students and staff will be required to have their temperature checked daily.
Will students be sent home if they have a temperature above 100.4?Students who have a temperature over 100.4 will be separated from the rest of the school population until parents/guardians can arrive to pick up their child.
How often will classrooms be sanitized?Classrooms will be sanitized every day either before or after school. We will also sanitize classrooms any time where students will transition and a new student will be sitting in the place where another student previously occupied. We are working within our master schedule to limit the number of transitions from classroom to classroom throughout the school day.
Will students sit in the same classroom all day?While we are working to limit transitions from classroom to classroom throughout the day, some transitions will occur. We are also working within our master schedule to provide ample movement breaks as well as utilizing our outdoor spaces to allow for students to take in fresh air whenever possible and to maximize social distancing opportunities.
Will students be required to sign a waiver to return to school?At this time (July 9, 2020) a waiver will not be required to return to school.
What will breakfast and lunchtime look like?Breakfast and lunch will continue to be provided free of charge to all of our students. Each school will be sharing specific plans in the coming weeks as to what this will look like as we near the return of school. We will also provide breakfast and lunch pick up for our students who are enrolled in our online Greyhound Academy.
What will pick-up and drop off times look like?Paris Elementary drop off time will be 7:05-7:35 each day and pick up time will be 2:50-3:00. Paris Middle and High School drop off time will be 7:45-8:15 each day and pick up time will be 3:30-3:40.
Will there still be Open Houses this year?We are working on plans for both in person and online Open Houses this fall. The current social distancing measures in place at that time will guide our planning of these events.
Will there still be sports, band, and other extracurricular activities?At this time (July 9, 2020) the KHSAA and KMEA are still planning on having sports, band and other extracurricular activities. We will continue to monitor this situation daily and provide updates as we move forward.
Is it possible that school will close down again?While our hope is that schools will remain open to in person instruction for the entire year, we are making plans for a quick pivot to all of our students to the online Greyhound Academy if needed. We will work with the Governor’s office and the Department of Health to help guide us when deciding whether or not to close schools.
What will happen if a student tests positive for COVID-19?In the event that a student or staff member tests positive, we will work in close partnership with the local health department to notify families and to assist in the contact tracing process. With our strategic planning to maximize social distancing opportunities and record of seating charts and class schedules, it is our hope and belief that we will be able to continue in person instruction even in the event of a positive test for COVID-19 in our school. A student or staff member that tests positive for COVID-19 will require a note from the Health Department permitting them to return to school. This will be a very fluid situation and we will work with the local health department to ensure that our staff and students are safe.
Are Custodians using EPA approved cleaning products?Yes
Where will the students eat lunch? Each school will be sharing soon their breakfast and lunch plans in the coming weeks. This may look different at each school.
Are they going to be able to bring their lunch? As of July 9, 2020, students will be permitted to bring their lunch to school with them.
If they eat lunch at school, will it be a box lunch?Breakfast and lunch will continue to be provided free of charge to all of our students including students attending our virtual Greyhound Academy. Each school will share their individual plans for what breakfast and lunch will look like in the coming weeks. School lunch menus are being finalized now. Principals and our food service director are working together to determine plans for serving breakfast and lunch. Once these plans and menus are finalized, we will share. Our goal is to provide healthy balanced meals for our students in a safe manner following the guidelines set forth by the Kentucky Department of Health.
Are kids being asked to take the COVID-19 test before they enter school on the first day?As of July 9, 2020, COVID-19 testing will not be a requirement for students or staff to return to school. However, we will complete temperature checks every day for all staff and students and testing could be part of the contact tracing process implemented in conjunction with the Health Department.
What will your visitor policy look like?Due to COVID-19, visitors will be limited in the building as we begin the year. Parents that need to meet with teachers will need to contact the school office to schedule an appointment. We will work to ensure that social distancing measures are followed during the meeting and meetings may be held outside or after school hours.
How are you handling water fountains?Each school will have no touch bottle filling stations available for staff and students. We encourage our students to bring their own bottle to school but we will have extra sanitized bottles available if needed.
What are you doing about providing internet connectivity for students who select the online Greyhound Academy?We are working with several community partners to help provide high quality internet for our students and families. If you enroll in the online Greyhound Academy and do not have access to high quality internet service, please reach out to us and let us know and we will work to connect you with the appropriate resources.
Will you have hand sanitizing stations? Yes. We have ordered ample hand sanitizer to allow dispensers to be placed around the school and on buses. Protocols on a school level will be implemented to limit the spread of the virus by providing necessary hand washing and sanitizing sessions throughout the day.
What is Greyhound Academy?Greyhound Academy will look very different from NTI this past Spring. High level new instruction will be delivered daily on multiple formats that will allow our students who are not in school to continue learning at the same pace as the students who are in person at school. With our district’s commitment to providing technology for all students Kindergarten through 12th grade, the instruction will be two way and allow our staff to provide direct instruction and feedback to our students.