By Rich Larson, News Director
After more than a year in distance or hybrid learning, Northfield High School and Middle School students will all
return to the classroom full time on Wednesday.
After beginning the year with elementary students in the classroom full time, and middle and high school students in a hybrid model, rotating between in-classroom and distance learning from day to day, the Northfield School District was forced to send all students into full time distance learning last November when Covid-19 cases spiked in Rice County. The district has been slowly bringing students back to full time in-person learning since the beginning of February, starting with elementary students and then moving the middle and high school students back to the hybrid model. The district is hopeful that this week will see the end of any distance learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Northfield Schools superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said that, while all students will be back in the schools, it will be a far cry from the days before the Coronavirus. Hillmann said that students will be required to follow what are now common health protocols. Masks will be required at all times. Washing of hands will be an imperative, he said. All classrooms that do not have a sink will have a large supply of hand sanitizer. Physical distancing will also be enforced, but only a distance of three feet instead of six. Dr. Hillmann said that studies have shown there is almost no difference in transmission rates between distances of six and three feet, so the school is choosing to enforce the shorter distance to facilitate easier movement and classroom placement. If a student is not feeling well, they should not come to school. The district is also asking, however not requiring, that all students be tested every two weeks.
Dr. Hillmann said, that while the hope is this will be the end of distance learning, the district is still keeping a close eye on case numbers.
“We’ve also seen these numbers creep back up in the last few weeks, and we’re reading about variants. So, this thing isn’t over. We’re in a much better situation than we were, say, last November, but we have to keep our guard up. We have to make sure that we are following those protocols: masking, washing hands, distancing, and it’s really important to keep your kid home if they’re not feeling well.”
Hillmann also said that while students are returning to the classroom, several hundred will remain in the “Portage” full time distance learning program, which is something the district intends to offer on a permanent basis beginning next year.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
State vaccination program doing well
Governor Tim Walz announced on Friday that all Minnesotans age 16 and older will be eligible to be vaccinated beginning tomorrow. While there is still not enough vaccine to keep up with demand, the announcement allows vaccination centers, both public and private, to prepare for expanded demand once the vaccine becomes widely available.
Minnesota has ranked at the top of the country in the number of people receiving vaccinations. Despite the slow progress early in the rollout, many state leaders have insisted that the state has had the systems in place. What was necessary was greater vaccine supply.
Representative Todd Lippert said that the progress is a credit to the state Department of Health.
“One thing that the Health & Human Services Chari said to our caucus as we were going into the pandemic, is that Minnesota has an excellent department of health, and that that would serve us well. And we’ve seen that. Commissioner Malcolm and her team have done an excellent job and right now, when it really matters, getting the vaccine distributed, they have good systems in place and they’re moving at great speed.”
Lippert said the enthusiasm being seen by people to get the vaccine is very encouraging. “We’re ahead of our [vaccination] goals, and the federal government is doing a better job,” he said. “We just need to get the vaccine into as many people’s arms as possible.”
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Todd Lippert can be heard here
Council and Staff will work on strategic plan tomorrow
And tomorrow afternoon the Northfield City Council will gather online with selected city staff members for what is
scheduled to be a marathon strategic planning session.
Last week the same group gathered online for the first scheduled meeting of what is being called a “Strategic Planning Retreat.” Working with planning consultant Craig Rapp, the group worked out a number of priorities for the city. Tomorrow the idea is to form those priorities into a plan that will offer measurable outcomes.
The meeting will be streamed live on the city’s website, and the public is invited to watch. It will start at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon and is scheduled to run for at least four hours.
