COEUR d’ALENE — Students in the Coeur d’Alene School District will return to school Monday after a long, COVID-induced hiatus.

Opening in the “orange” moderate classification, half the students will attend in person Monday and Tuesday and the other half will attend Thursday and Friday. Wednesdays will be dedicated to staff collaboration and remote learning for all. Remote learning will also take place on the days students are not in class in person.

The school district released a newsletter Tuesday, covering a variety of topics on many families’ minds as they prepare their children for the unique back-to-school experience that awaits them.

“It’s going to be a fantastic year,” Superintendent Steve Cook said in a video included in the newsletter. “A lot of things different, but we’re looking forward to a great year.”

The district is remaining firm on its mask policy, adopted Sept. 2. This policy requires students, employees and visitors to wear masks on school property during certain stages of the reopening plan. Masks are required in red, orange and yellow risk categories.

“We’re all going to be trying to do our best to wear masks, to do it safely, to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to do it in a fashion that is practical and to do it in a way that gives students opportunities, and staff opportunities, to have a break from it and to go outside and get some fresh air,” Cook said. “But we do believe, the power of a mask is going to be to keep us in school, help us to stay in school together and be healthier in that environment.”

Masks are required for everyone attending open houses as well as athletic events.

Visit https://bit.ly/2GKRvIi to view Policy 1207 or www.cdaschools.org/domain/3132 to review a detailed Q&A regarding masks.

Chromebooks are available for checkout this week for middle school, Lake City High and Coeur d’Alene High students scheduled to attend school in person on Thursdays and Fridays, last names L to Z. This includes those whose request to switch to the Thursday-Friday schedule was approved. Secondary students who will attend in person Mondays and Tuesdays will receive Chromebooks in class next week.

Any middle school students who missed Tuesday’s open house can check out Chromebooks at all three middle schools from 2 to 6:30 p.m. today.

High schoolers who will attend Thursdays and Fridays but missed Wednesday’s open houses can check out Chromebooks from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.

Chromebooks will be available for every student, district spokesman Scott Maben said, but students may opt to use their own devices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Aug. 31 that it would extend the flexible free school meals program this fall. Students who eat school breakfast and lunch won’t be charged for the cost of school meals at least through December. This goes for meals served in schools as well as grab-and-go meals offered weekdays for students not eating at school. The extension depends on the continued availability of funds that Congress had allocated for summer meals through last June.

Coeur d’Alene School District will continue to provide free grab-and-go meals for students on the days they are not attending school in person. The meals will be available for family members to pick up at Canfield, Lakes and Woodland middle schools between 10 and 10:30 a.m. Children do not need to be present. For assistance, contact nutrition services at 208-667-7469.

The district is also welcoming 40 new teachers this school year. Cook said they’re excited for the students, the new teachers and for returning teachers.

“We know this is going to be a good year. We know it’s going to be much better than the spring of last year. We were just challenged left and right,” he said. “We’re excited, we’re hopeful, we believe in what we’re doing. We believe we’re choosing well for you and your family with regards to safety, and we’re excited to have a fantastic year.”

Info: www.cdaschools.org