Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bonn, Issues Statement on School Reentry: Raton Public Schools to Open In Person Monday April 5, 2021

Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bonn, Issues Statement on School Reentry: Raton Public Schools to Open In-Person Monday, April 5, 2021. Raton Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and high-quality learning environment for our students.

Today the Secretary of Education and the Governor announced schools must resume in person learning by April 5, 2021. Raton Public Schools is extremely excited and will be moving toward a full re-entry model. Over the next three weeks, the school district will be working with the New Mexico Department of Health to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to all school staff.

Starting this week, schools will be creating an environment and implement COVID-19 safe practices for re-entry into a traditional school model for students. The school district will ensure and enforce COVID-19 safe practices, allow for teachers and students to congregate safely and provide a learning environment that allows flexibility and accommodations for students to be successful academically.

Starting Monday, April 5th, students will be back on campus for full-day in-person learning. Families may continue to participate in virtual learning as an option. Raton Public Schools is working on the details of today’s announcement from the Secretary of Education as much of this announcement was cryptic and unclear. We know for certain there will be additional mandates and requirements to follow.

Considerations to bringing every student back on campus are:
1. All Raton Public School staff members will be offered a COVID-19 vaccine before the end of March as a gateway to further expanding safe in-person learning with a goal of reaching full re-entry by April 5.

2. COVID-Safe Practices will remain in place, including mask-wearing, frequent handwashing, enhanced indoor air quality, and social distancing to the greatest extent possible. Schools will be encouraged to use large communal spaces and outdoor spaces to maximize social distancing, especially during mealtimes.

3. Once school staff members provide evidence of full vaccination, they will no longer be required to participate in asymptomatic surveillance testing, which is used to prevent outbreaks.

4. Families still may choose for their students to study remotely, and if any district has a significant portion of students making that choice, the Public Education Department will provide whatever flexibility is needed.

5. Hybrid learning will be phased out and is no longer an option. Parents and students must either choose in-person learning in a traditional school model or remote learning.

6. Sports and other extracurricular activities may resume immediately at all schools, with explicit safety precautions in place.

7. Athletic, precautions include no congregating during warm-ups or breaks in play; no overnight travel, and masks required for all except when eating or drinking.

8. Choir and band will be allowed outdoors. Students may not share instruments and must follow COVIDsafe practices such as the use of cloth bell covers on wind instruments. Both singers and musicians must be appropriately masked and must maintain enhanced social distancing of 9 feet when playing or singing in groups.

Monday, April 5th the district will resume to the traditional in person learning model with the option of remote learning for families as a choice. Families must declare their preferences and option. We are also certain there will be additional mandates imposed on school districts by the New Mexico Department of Health, the New Mexico Public Education Department, and the Department of Environmental Services. We will keep the community and students informed as we learn of any additional or new requirements or mandates imposed on our district.

Thank you for your patience and commitment to our students, staff, public health, and safety. I am also eager to see our students back on our campuses and will commit to having a successful re-entry process for those students and families also eagerly awaiting re-entry into our schools. If you have any additional comments, questions, or concerns please feel free to contact the district.