On Feb. 22 the Owatonna Public Schools school board held a meeting in which they discussed going back to school four days a week. Wednesday will remain a virtual learning day. The final decision was made on Thursday, Feb. 25 and they came to the conclusion that 6-12 would start a four day school week on March 30. 

This decision was possible since the county case was at 29.17 per 10,000 last week, and it can be expected to fall in the next report to an expected lower 20s. If Steele Country reached 10 cases per 10,000 or below, they wouldn’t have to worry about social distancing in classrooms and cafeterias, as well as not doing close contact investigations.  ISD 761 sent out a survey which received over 1,500 responses, 83.2% of parents chose a four day school week. Superintendent Jeff Elstad said, “That tells us that parents are eager to have students back in.” 

Owatonna Public Schools will require face coverings in all buildings, social distancing of at least three  feet when feasible, disinfection after each class period and quarantine after any close contacts for at least seven days. Supt. Elstad urged during the school board meeting, “We still need to be careful, we still need to follow the strategies that are in place because if our numbers tick up very quickly in Steele County again, we will shift back to distance learning.”

A letter from OHS will be sent to families with more information in the next week. For high school students meal pick up will be on March 18, March 23, March 25 and March 29, from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. at door #16.