ANACONDA — “Good morning. Let me take your temperature. One more time. You’re good,” the teacher said after taking a student’s temperature.
Summer school students in Anaconda start their day with a little more caution in order to have in-person classes during the coronavirus outbreak.
“I think this was a really good precursor and test run to kind of see where we are and how we’re going to do it on a larger scale,” said summer school coordinator Jake Kelly.
The summer school program involves about 70 students, with one group attending class in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
After the first week of class, students and staff are getting used to the numerous safety precautions before instructions begin.
“The kids have done a really good job of wearing their masks, disinfecting everything, sanitizing everything, making sure we’re six feet apart, it’s worked out really well,” said Kelly.
Some students have become accustomed to the new safety measures.
“It’s fine because it’s usually like a normal school day, it doesn’t really affect me, because I’ve been wearing my mask for a long time now,” said student Deidra Foster.
Teachers also have to adjust to the new routine.
“Last week I was pretty nervous, and then this week, I’m like, ‘OK, I’m in a routine, the kids are in a routine,’” said teacher Christine Leipheimer.
The summer school in Anaconda is just a test run, but school officials know they’re going to have more challenges when the fall comes and they’re dealing with more students and staff.
“It’s going to totally change our day, you know, in the morning when the kids get here we’re going to have to take temperatures of a couple hundred kids versus 35,” said Kelly.
