While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently outlined new guidance for COVID-19 prevention in schools, stating three feet of social distancing between students wearing a mask is safe, one local private school says it's sticking with six feet of social distancing.
Jordan Catholic School Principal Jacob Smithers says six feet of space between students wearing a mask has worked for them so far at keeping COVID-19 rates low between students and teachers. That's why he isn't in a rush to change how things have been in the classroom.
The school is about to enter its fourth quarter of the 2020-2021 school year, where things definitely don't look the same as before. Social distancing markers line the hallways and classrooms, new water fountains eliminate touch points and plexiglass separates separates students where social distancing isn't entirely possible.
The school follows safety guidelines from the Rock Island County Public Health Department, the State of Illinois and the Catholic Diocese of Peoria, which requires face masks for everyone and remote learning options for families that request it.
Students who opted in for in-person learning this year were fully back in the classroom, Monday through Friday, starting January 2021 after half-days in Fall 2020.
44 students out of about 350 opted for remote learning at the start of this school year. Now, just five students remain learning online.
"Parents are seeing that it's working, and they feel more confident," Principal Smithers says. "I think the vaccines for staff definitely helps, and word of mouth from students and parents that what we're doing here is working (helps too). (Parents are) feeling more safe with their kids here all day."
As for enrollment, Principal Smithers says he's seen that fluctuate in the last year. First, there was a dip in enrollment at the start of this school year.
"We're kind of seeing a wave," he says. "When the school year started, we were only doing half days. We got (parents saying)… 'I'm paying tuition and we only got the half-day in-person and the rest online. I could get the same thing at the public school and not have to pay.' That's fair and I completely understand those arguments."
Things are looking up for the private school, as prospective pre-school enrollment numbers are looking higher for this upcoming school year than in the past six years. Last February, about 380 students were enrolled at the school. Now, that number is at about 350.
Principal Smithers did reflect on a long weekend in February 2020, when students and staff were sent home so the school could be deep cleaned after one third of teachers called in sick.
There was heavy flu and strep throat activity in the classrooms that week, at a time when COVID-19 was arriving in the country and in our communities.
One year later, Principal Smithers says it's possible saw a small, contained COVID-19 outbreak there. But, that's hard to say that's exactly what happened as COVID-19 tests were hard to by back then.