SANDPOINT — With a host of illness among staff and students — none connected to the coronavirus — Forrest Bird Charter Schools said they are taking classes online next week.

“FBCS has been experiencing a high level of illness in our students and staff, Forrest Bird Charter Administrator Mary Jensen told The Daily Bee. “This week we had 26% of our student body calling in absent due to illness and 18% of our staff out due to illness.”

The school went online Wednesday in order to deep clean the school but as officials monitored student and staff illness the rest of the week, they noted levels remained high among both. In a Friday survey, 88% of familes supported the decision to take classes online for the coming week.

In an email sent to parents, Jensen advised parents the charter schools would move forward with the plan to implement its Required Online Access Day for Success program for the upcoming week.

ROADS days are already held every other Friday so students can learn how to successfully manage online work since many universities, technical certifications and other adult learning opportunities are now online, Jensen said.

“In the past few years, we have had to add additional ROADS days for deep cleaning of the schools due to heightened illness, such as when a whooping cough outbreak occurred in our school three years ago,” she said.

As part of the ROADS program, all teachers and staff are available online from 7:30-3:30 p.m. each day. Students will have work on Canvas, a digital learning environment, each day and will have check-ins and homework each day with homework being required to be turned in by 3:15 p.m. each day. Parents and students were reminded to check the due dates of assignments to ensure they are turned in on time.

Because many teachers may be working from home, students who want help with schoolwork in the school building must make an appointment with their teacher via Canvas before 11 a.m. Then, by appointment only, students who need help may come into the school from 12-3 p.m. Students may not be in the building unless they have an appointment with a teacher, Jensen said.

Teachers may make progress checks with students, and middle school students who need a computer to connect to the online learning platform can check one out from the school, she said. The school’s counselor will be available via phone or text if the event of a mental health crisis as well, she said.

Because the school already implements the ROADS program on a bi-weekly basis, Jensen said the school has already identified students who struggle with online days. To address that, she said FBCS opens from 12-3 for students to get help or use the school’s internet. If students lose internet access, they may received hard copies of work to have at home to work on.

“Students also have learned to go to the areas with Wi-Fi access to complete their homework,” she added.

Jensen said the school takes family and student safety very serious.

“We have upgraded our phone systems, re-keyed all doors, and added a buzz-in system for visitors to enter the school this past summer,” she said. “We try to take proactive and preventative measures to keep families and students safe.”

Caroline Lobsinger can be reached by email at clobsinger@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolDailyBee.