BY MATT LINDSEY
North Country This Week

POTSDAM -- Potsdam Central School officials are putting the final touches on its reopening plan that addresses COVID-19 testing, transportation, feeding students and ensuring all students have access to reliable internet.

“I am feeling very comfortable and confident. I think we’ve thought through a lot of things, we’ve really prioritized safety,” Chambers said.

Potsdam Central School Superintendent Joanna Chambers updated the school board and community on the district’s reopening plans for next month. This was the final school board meeting before school begins Sept. 8. The board is scheduled to meet that night.

Chambers said she met recently with Dr. Andrew Williams, St. Lawrence County Board of Health president and Dana McGuire, St. Lawrence County director of public health.

Chambers said the health officials provided a flowchart that “really, clearly explains the process that will be followed if the student has COVID-19 symptoms at home or at school.”

She said that St. Lawrence Health System has developed a Pediatric Response Team who will be on call, on a rotating basis with contact information given to school nurses.

“So during the day, our school nurses will have direct contact with a pediatrician in the county to ask COVID-specific questions,” Chambers said.

She added that a lot of symptoms that could be COVID-19, are also common symptoms in young children.

St. Lawrence Health System also established a Pediatric Urgent Care that will be overseen by Dr. Terrance and a nurse practitioner. The location will be in Canton, which is central to St. Lawrence County.

SLHS has also secured a rapid molecular test for use with children which gives COVID-19 test results in about 20-30 minutes. The test would be given to students who are showing symptoms or who may have been around a person who has COVID-19.

Chambers said the school will be sharing more information from her meeting with Dr. Williams and McGuire with parents in the coming days that will hopefully answer questions and concerns.

Symptom Screening

Temperature taking scanners are expected to arrive Sept. 7, just in time for school opening on Sept. 8.

If an elementary student has a high temperature upon entering the bus, they will be asked to return to their parents, guardian or older sibling. In the event none of that is possible, the student will be brought to school and then taken to the nurses office.

Middle and high school students who have high temps will be asked to go back to their home and the bus driver will radio the school who will then contact the child’s parents.

The school is also addressing a lack of reliable internet in some student’s homes. They purchased about 40 internet hotspots that will include a one-year subscription allowing students to learn from home.

Teachers will screen themselves for symptoms prior to school and submit that information to officials prior to the start of each day.

Technology, COVID-19 Expenses

All students will get their own Chromebook.

In response to teacher needs, several webcams have been ordered as well.

School officials stated they have spent about $70,000 on COVID-19-related expenses. They are keeping those costs separate in the hopes that aid will help offset it in the future.

Chambers applauded her staff for their hard work this summer and joked that they all were going to take the month of September off to recover.

Feeding Students

The school will continue to offer meals to students, whether they attend school a couple days in-person or learn remote only.

The program that provided free meals to all children in the Potsdam area has expired and Chambers said it did not look like it would be renewed. This means free lunches will be based on income as it has been in the past.

Pickup of food for students will take place on Fridays. Orders must be submitted by Wednesdays.

Transportation

The district is still trying to address what they expect to be an influx of parents bringing their child to school and how to manage increased traffic and people congesting in one area.

Chambers said officials met with Department of Transportation officials to talk about possible solutions to traffic jams. She said the traffic threshold is not enough to warrant installing a light, even a temporary one.

The bus loop at the elementary school will be used for parent drop-off. Parents will be given a specific door to bring their child to.

Buses carrying students will now enter near the middle school and staff will direct students to their classrooms.

PCS will also use an app to help handle parent pickup after school. Parents will check in on the app and that will alert school officials who will then get students to their parents.

More info will be shared with parents soon.

Lack of PPE

The district is lacking P95 masks for its nurses. She said a local school district that received a donation of those masks has given 90 to PCS. Chambers said they have three nurses and that nurses are required to wear a new mask daily.

She is hopeful in about a month that the district can acquire an adequate amount for its nurses.

The school will offer masks to all students, but students are welcome to wear their own.