T-R FILE PHOTO The Marshalltown Community School District provides Chromebooks for all students, which will be essential for parents who choose remote continuous learning. The district issued a survey on Sunday so parents can let school officials know how they want their children to get their education this fall — through on-site learning or remotely.

Parents can let the Marshalltown Community School District know how their children will attend school in the fall — either on-site or remotely.

Superintendent Theron Schutte said the district released a survey on Sunday on its website and on its Facebook page, asking parents about their preferences.

The survey needs to be filled out for each child. The deadline for survey responses is July 28.

Schutte said parents do not need to completely commit to their choices just yet. However, when the Marshalltown Community School Board meets on Aug. 3, he asks parents to know what option they are going to take.

“That is when the ultimate commitment needs to be made,” he said.

Since the survey was pushed out Sunday night, Schutte said more than 700 responses were received and 30 percent of those chose the remote learning option.

Fortunately, the Friday announcement by Gov. Kim Reynolds that she would override school districts and require students spend at least 50 percent of their education in the classroom, is not going to affect MCSD much.

“Our current path is for all willing and able students to come back to school,” Schutte said. “If parents do not feel it is safe for children to return to school, they can choose the online or virtual learning offered. If they are willing and able to come back to school, we will provide the necessary safety precautions and protections.”

He did say the governor’s announcement might cause a lot of concern for other school districts, depending on how those districts choose to move forward with Return to Learn.

“What has been tough is school districts and county public health departments have had a lot of responsibility under the pretense of control — how things will look like and how they will fund it,” Schutte said. “There has been a lot of pressure from state and local government to get the kids back to school. We have been working under that presumption to get kids this far since we went into closure. To have the rules change like that is problematic to districts who choose a virtual mode or hybrid mode only.”

While it is difficult to predict what the COVID-19 pandemic will look like in one month, Schutte said the district will seek the support of the school board for the Return to Learn plan. However, he said the board does not need to vote on the plan in order for it to go into effect.

“We do want their support,” Schutte said. “We want them to be comfortable and confident in the plan and many indicated their support verbally.”

Some Return to Learn requirements:

• Student work and attendance will be required and graded.

• If a student is unable to physically return to school, online instruction will be provided.

• Mandatory masks for all students and staff with exceptions provided to people with medical, special or religious needs. If a student gets permission to not wear a mask, that student must maintain 6 feet of social distancing.

• The district will provide the masks as well as face shields to all students.

• Students will be separated by tri-fold desk shields during class to ensure at least 3 feet of social distancing as recommended by the American Pediatric Association.

• Building visitors will be reduced or prohibited.

• Meals will still be provided.

• Meetings between parents and school personnel will be held virtually.

• Temperatures of employees will be taken daily and students will be chosen at random for screenings.

• Frequent deep cleaning plans are being implemented.

• Regular hand washing will be encouraged and hand sanitizer will be available.

• Strategically placed signs will remind students and staff of protective actions, such as hand washing and social distancing.

• Large assemblies of students will not be permitted.

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Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611

or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.