Editor’s note: Other school districts’ information will be detailed in the Aug. 29 edition of the Inter Lake.

Opening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in regard to health and safety.

At this time, all staff and students over the age of 5 are required to wear masks when they are unable to maintain six feet of distance from others under a directive from the Office of the Governor. The mask mandate applies in counties where there are four or more active cases of COVID-19.

Masks need to cover the face and nose. Face shields are also acceptable under the directive.

Exceptions include people who are: eating or drinking; engaged in an activity that makes wearing a face covering impractical or unsafe such as strenuous physical exercise; talking with someone who is hearing impaired; giving a speech or artistic, musical, or theatrical performance for an audience that is physically distanced; and temporarily removing their face covering for identification purposes. There is also an exception for people who have a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask, according to the directive.

Schools are also requiring health screenings before getting on buses or entering the building.

Families are reminded that plans and phases may change depending on local and state guidelines or directives.

Flathead City-County Health Department will be responsible for contact tracing should a teacher or student be infected by COVID-19. Close contacts are encouraged to stay at home for 14 days after their last exposure to the infected person. The health department and school administrators will work together on making decisions if a class, grade level or building should be closed based on various indicators of school/community health and health care capacity to treat infected individuals.

The following information was made available by schools.

Bigfork School District

First day: Monday, Aug. 31. Remote students start school Sept. 8.

Busing: Normal pick-up times on all routes have been pushed back by 10 minutes to stagger them. On Wednesdays, buses will run about one hour later than normal since school doesn’t start until 8:40 a.m. to hold teacher meetings.

Students will have assigned seating and families will sit together.

With group sizes limited to 50 or less, families are encouraged to make alternative arrangements to transport students to and from school, if possible. Bus and parent drop off times will begin at 7:50 a.m. to accommodate an organized entry into each building.

Bigfork Elementary and Middle School

Projected enrollment: 371 elementary students and 222 sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders

Health screenings: Parents are asked to conduct a screening before students get on the buses or arrive to school. Teachers will also have thermometers in classrooms and may take temperatures of students showing symptoms of illness. Students exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will be quarantined for parents to pick them up.

Arrival and dismissal: Students will be directed to an entrance nearest to their classrooms when they arrive to school. The elementary and middle school has provided a map with color-coded entrances for each grade level. After dismissal, students will wait in pick up areas for parents or get onto the buses.

Visitors and volunteers will not be allowed in the building at this time.

Start times: Kindergarten students will start school at 8:15 a.m. to have more time to get organized when entering the building. First- through fourth-graders will enter the building at 7:55 a.m. when the first bell rings. Fifth-graders will be allowed in the building during 10-minute periods from 7:50 to 8 a.m. or 8:30 to 8:40 a.m. on late-start Wednesdays.

Physical distancing: Students will have assigned seating during lunch.

Fifth-graders will not use lockers this year to reduce the amount of time students spend together in the hallways.

Fifth-graders will stay with their homeroom classmates to rotate as group to different classes. This will be done in efforts to reduce the number of people an individual comes in contact with.

For lunch, fourth- and fifth-graders will eat together in assigned seats.

Recess will be held in small groups and may be limited to single classrooms.

The school will attempt to continue providing special classes such as music and P.E. with precautions in place. Some teachers may travel to classrooms where other specials may take place in their regular rooms after cleaning takes place.

New staff members: Tina Rhoades, kindergarten; Mandy Fausett, first grade; Jo Waddell, third grade; Logan Swenson, fourth grade; Marissa Meyer, fifth grade; James Benn, middle school Spanish and computers; Bailey Vukonich, and middle school English.

Phone: 837-7421

Websites: www.bigforkschools.org/our-schools/elementary-school

www.bigforkschools.org/our-schools/middle-school/

Bigfork High School

Projected enrollment: 319 students

Health screenings: Parents are asked to conduct a screening before students get on the buses or arrive to school. Students showing symptoms of illness may be sent to the office for a temperature check. Students who are sick, or do not feel well will wait in a conference room for parents to pick them up.

Arrival: The high school has provided maps with numbered entrances based on who a student’s first-period teacher is. Students will go directly to their first-period classroom after entering the building.

Schedule: Doors will open at 7:40 a.m. and school starts at 8 a.m. except on Wednesdays when there is a later start for staff to hold meetings. On Wednesdays, doors open at 8:20 a.m. and school begins at 8:40 a.m.

Daily schedules will have nine periods including lunch and time set aside called “When I need Time (WIN),” where students will either attend an “extension activity” or work on improving their grades. Students receiving a “D” or “F” in a class will work with the respective teacher instead of attending an assigned activity.

There will be assigned seating during lunch and students will be spread out in the building over two lunch periods. Freshman and sophomores will eat together, and later, juniors and seniors.

Technology: Due to a laptop shortage in the district, seniors will be allowed to use their personal computers at school this year.

New staff members: James Meyer, shop; and Caleb Seeton, ninth-grade English

Phone number: 837-7420

Website: www.bigforkschools.org/our-schools/high-school.

Columbia Falls School District

First day: Monday, Aug. 31

New staff members: Courtney McCord, behavior intervention coach and Mark McCord, curriculum director.

Busing: Attendance will be taken on the bus and families will be assigned to sit together.

Ruder Elementary

Projected enrollment: 479 students

Health screenings: The school nurse/nurse aide will check students’ temperatures. Parents may opt to screen their children using an app called SiteRight. If a child becomes sick at school they will wait in a designated area for family to pick them up.

Arrival and dismissal: Parents are not allowed in the school while dropping off or picking up students. At the beginning of the school year, K-2 teachers will be outside to meet parents and students. Teachers will then bring students in the building.

Parents will be allowed in the building on a limited basis for meetings, for example. People who need to drop something off will be able to speak with the secretary though an intercom.

Dismissal times are different to help with crowd control. Children being picked up will have designated spots to wait outside. K-2 students who are being picked up, walking home, or riding the bus to the Boys & Girls Club will be dismissed at 3:15 p.m. All other students will be dismissed at 3:20 p.m., or 3:25 p.m. if they ride the bus.

Physical distancing: Lunch will be served in classrooms.

Outdoor recess will be held in blocks by grade level. Equipment will be sanitized throughout the day.

Floors throughout the building will be marked to direct travel.

Other important information: Students will not be able to use drinking fountains. Water bottles will be allowed and filling stations will be available.

Special classes such as P.E., art and music will continue to be provided.

New staff members: Bella DeCourcey, first-grade teacher; Sara Kavanagh, music teacher; Samantha Radabah, kindergarten teacher; Samantha Steiner, third-grade teacher; and Camille Warren, third-grade teacher

Phone: 892-6570

Website: ruderelementary.org

Glacier Gateway Elementary

Projected enrollment: 505 students.

New staff members: Abby Brandeberry, P.E.; Logan Hays, third-grade teacher; Suzann Jensen, kindergarten teacher; Maya Kroll, special education teacher; and Jennifer Miller, kindergarten teacher

Phone: 892-6540

Website: glaciergateway.org

Columbia Falls Junior High

Projected enrollment: 519 students

Health screenings: Parents or staff may conduct screenings.

Arrival: Doors open at 7:50 a.m. for screening.

New staff members: Ted Miller is the new principal. He joins the junior high staff from his previous position as K-5 principal at Fort Shaw Elementary in Montana. This marks his 16th year working in education and third year in a principal position. The school also welcomes Austin Barth, social studies teacher; and Evan Miller, special education teacher.

New curriculum: Amplify Science

Phone: 892-6530

Website: cfjuniorhigh.org

Columbia Falls High School

Projected enrollment: 670 students

Health screenings: Parents or staff may conduct screenings. Parents and students will be able to use an app called SiteRight to go through a symptom checklist to gain quick access into school. After entering the building, students should go directly to their first-period classroom.

New staff members: Ciera Finberg, English teacher; Zachary Griffith, special education teacher; Gretchen Miller, English teacher; and Hilary Ypma, Spanish teacher.

New curriculum/technology: Advanced Placement Language has been combined with College Writing 101 as a dual credit course. French 2 and a CrossFit P.E. class have also been added to course offerings. Chromebooks have also been purchased in moving toward having a device for each student.

Maintenance completed over break: The front entrance security and surveillance system has been improved; new carpeting was installed in library, downstairs computer lab and makerspace area; and the auditorium stage has been refinished.

Phone: 892-6500

Website: cfhighschool.org

Evergreen School District

First day: Monday, Aug. 31 for grades 1-8.

New staff member: Kendra Heath, food services

Maintenance projects completed over break: Roof project, window repairs at Evergreen Junior High; Lighting repairs, gym repairs, window repairs, new playground equipment at East Elementary; New playground equipment at Crossroads

Adult education: A free course is available for Evergreen families called “Parent and guardian support for digital platforms.” Two sessions will be held at 6 p.m. on Sept. 8 and 10th. In-person attendance will be limited and signups are available at www.evergreensd50.com. The sessions will also be livestreamed, which may be accessed at: meet.google.com/xtd-xnup-kxy on Sept. 8, or at meet.google.com/ckd-mici-iku on Sept. 10.

East Evergreen Elementary

Projected enrollment: 333 students

New staff members: Sherry Odegard is the new principal. She joins the elementary staff from her former position as dean of students at East Side School and Sleeping Giant Middle School in Livingston. East Evergreen also welcomes Kellie Campbell, K-4 special education; Melanie Home Gun, K-4 special education; and Erin Keithly, speech language pathologist.

Open house: Sept. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Format to be decided.

Phone: 751-1121

Website: www.evergreensd50.com/elementary

Evergreen Junior High

Projected enrollment: 285 students

New staff members: Skylar Steinbach, fifth grade; Neal Drakage, special education; Danielle Rovig, paraprofessional; and Jena Willis, Altacare.

Open house: Sept. 15 at 6:30 p.m. Format to be decided.

Phone: 751-1131

Website: www.evergreensd50.com/juniorhigh

Flathead Crossroads program

Projected enrollment: 48 students

New staff members: Jaleh Brown, K-3 teacher; Mike Gamroth, paraprofessional; Jeffrey Link, paraprofessional; Ashley, Thompson, paraprofessional; Brenda West, paraprofessional

Open house: Sept. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Format to be decided.

Phone: 751-1141

Website: www.evergreensd50.com/flathead

Helena Flats School

First day: Monday, Aug. 31 for grades 1-8. Kindergarten students start Tuesday, Sept. 8

Projected enrollment: 230 students.

Health screenings: Staff will meet students outside the building to check temperatures. Students will then receive a stamp on their hand and be directed to enter the building. There will be no playground access before school to keep students in assigned groups, known as cohorting, to reduce the number of people an individual comes in contact with.

Parents or guardians will not be allowed into the building except on a very limited, scheduled basis. All visitors will have their temperature checked before entrance.

Schedule: Students will have an A-B rotation for the immediate future and will do a combination of on-site and remote learning.

Classes will be divided with one group attending school on-site on Mondays and Tuesdays and the remaining attending on Thursdays and Fridays. All students will learn remotely on Wednesdays.

New staff members: Brooke Bailey, special education; McKayle Dennehy, 5/7 English language arts and social studies; Kassidi Heinlei, 5/7 math and science; and Carly McDonald, first grade.

Phone: 257-2301

Website: helenaflats.org

Swan River School

First day of school: Monday, Aug. 31

Projected enrollment: 185 students

New staff members: Brianne Aho, second-grade teacher; Callie Devine, paraprofessional; Brant Estes, information technology manager; Marcia Ham, reading and math interventionist; and Tracey Stahlberg, paraprofessional.

Open house: 6 p.m., Sept 22

Phone: 837-4528

Website: www.swanriverschool.org

West Valley School

First day: Monday, Aug. 31

Projected enrollment: 725 students

Health screenings: Parents are asked to conduct screenings before students get on buses or arrive to school. Staff may do so if a student is showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Schedule: Grades 6-8 will start off by alternating days they attend school on-site and remotely from Aug. 31 through Sept. 25. Students A-L will attend on-site on Monday and Tuesday, and students M-Z on Thursday and Friday. All 6-8 students will learn remotely on Wednesdays.

K-5 students will have the option to be on-site every day.

All students have the option to learn remotely full-time. Families choosing to learn remotely will need to do so for the first trimester of the school year — roughly until Thanksgiving Break.

New staff members: Wendy Alvarez, paraprofessional; Kristen Funderburgh, fourth grade; Uriah Keller, middle school band and choir; Serina Nelson, business manager; and Anna Porter, elementary counselor.

New curriculum: Remote students will using a program called MobyMax

Maintenance projects completed over break: Ventilation upgrades in several room; installation of higher quality filters for improved ventilation throughout the school.

Other information for the school year: The gym floor will need to be restored after sustaining water damaged so P.E. and possibly volleyball games, may be rescheduled.

Phone: 755-7239

Website: www.westvalleyschool.com