WINONA, Minn. – Public school leaders are holding their breaths that new CoVid data suggest an improving trend — not a temporary slump ahead of a new spike. Superintendent Annette Freiheit told the School Board she favors mask requirements remaining place until there is greater certainty that the virus is on an enduring retreat. If masking is dropped as a requirement and the pandemic surges anew, the schools could need to go back to virtual learning again. School Board policy this year has been to go back to virtual learning only as a last resort. In effect, Freiheit said: “Better safe now than sorry later.”
Verbatim
Jackie Henderson, the school district’s CoVid policy coordinator, reported that 30 new cases last week were down from 53 the week before and from135 the week before that. “It’s relieving to see this downward trend is continuing. Once it’s continuing to decrease for a few weeks, it’s more promising that it will continue instead of going back up.”
Verbatim
Jim Schul, School Board member, said he would like to move from a mask requirement to a recommendation but doesn’t want to risk a return to remote learning if things worsen. “I am extremely troubled with the delay in our social and linguistic development of our students.”
Earlier: Winona Schools priority: Avoid shutdown