Winner school opens Aug. 19

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

Classes in the Winner School District will start Thursday, Aug. 19. 

Classes will run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There will be Friday school on Aug. 20.

There will be several new staff members who are joining the Winner School District.

The new staff include: Danielle Kucera, Native American advocate at the elementary school; Katie Richey, pre school teacher; Skyler Best, special education; Misty Brown, special education; Karen Koffskey, special education; Samantha Bansemer, special education aide; Ben Connot, special education; Keely Connot, sixth grade; Robin Curtis, middle school math; Misti Lapsley, language arts; Candace Patmore, high school math; LaGrande Woods, middle school science; Dondee Krolikowski, alternative center coordinator; Scott Rank, special education aide.

Gail Smith will teach third grade as she moved from sixth grade.

Supt. Keven Morehart said the school will start as normal. The COVID-19 back to school plan has three tiers—green, yellow and red. 

Morehart noted the only major change is that the school board may put everything on line if there is a need or an outbreak of COVID-19.

Masks will not be mandatory. If a student or staff feels safer wearing a mask they will be supported in their efforts to provide protection

There will be no COVID protocol for athletic events and fans will not be limited from attending games.

Some of the COVID protocol that was followed last year will be implemented again this year. The temperature of students will be taken each day.

There will be sanitation of desks and work areas twice a day. There  will be hand sanitizer in all the classrooms.

The water fountains will be turned off and students can fill  water bottles at the fountain.

This was a busy summer for the school district as a lot of projects have been completed.

The north parking lot has new asphalt.

The advertising on the wood floor in the Armory has been redone. No one will be allowed in Armory until after Aug. 22 as the wood floor needs to set.

Finishing touches are being made to the new concession stand in the Armory.

Work is also finishing up on the two science rooms at the high school.

New flooring  was laid at the elementary gym.

All classrooms will receive new smart boards.

Construction will start soon on an addition to the elementary school. Four new classrooms will be added to the west end of the school.

The school district has taken over the pre-school program following the retirement of long time teacher Toni Donovan. For a year the school district will rent the building which now houses the pre-school. When the new addition to the school is done the pre school will be located in the elementary school. The pre-school will remain tuition based.

“We are excited to start school,” said Morehart. “It is the best time of the year when all the kids come back to school. They want to see their friends they have not seen all summer.”

The superintendent says the school is back to normal but it is a different normal with COVID still hanging around.

Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *