DAVENPORT, Iowa — Quad City area schools are in the midst of figuring out how learning will look this fall. In Iowa, students and teachers are not required to wear masks, where in Illinois they are.
At Saint Paul the Apostle Catholic School, students will be expected to have a mask on them when school starts in person August 24. That's one of the precautions the school decided to take after the state decided to not require masks.
Tables in the classroom will also have Plexiglass to separate students. All excess furniture will be removed from classrooms.
The precautions are meant to eliminate common touch points. Students will have to bring their mask to school which they are required to wear in St. Paul hallways.
"We are being provided with masks and Plexiglass shields and it's been suggested that we wear them as far as our comfort level goes," says Brooke DiIulio, a teacher at St. Paul the Apostle in regard to the teachers. Teachers and school officials thought this was the best option to keep teachers safe.
"I haven't heard of any teachers that are not coming back, but there has been a little bit of chatter of just being fearful of the precautions we are going to take," explains DiIulio.
"I know it will be difficult for students to see our faces without the masks. So, I'm probably one that will wear the Plexiglass."
The principal at St. Paul the Apostle says they are going back in person next month, but that could change in the coming weeks dependent on advice from the Scott County Health Department.
The school says they sent a survey to parents before they made their decision. They are still working out transportation and busing logistics.