Schools see little change as COVID-19 level increases
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
McKenzie County school administrators were scrambling last Wednesday to figure out changes they would have to make in their in-person educational models after Gov. Doug Burgum upgraded the county’s COVID-19 risk level from low to moderate due to the rising number of active coronavirus cases in the county.
As of Wednesday, Sept. 23, McKenzie County had 64 active cases, which moved the county into the moderate risk level and took the school districts from a green to yellow educational plan.
But fortunately for students attending Watford City and Alexander schools, the higher risk level isn’t going to bring about many visible changes.
As McKenzie County Public School District No. 1 moves into Phase 1 of its Yellow Risk education model, Steve Holen, district superintendent, says parents and students aren’t going to see much of a change.
“Phase 1 of the Yellow Risk level, which we are now under, is very similar to the Green Risk level,” states Holen. “Students and parents won’t see anything different from what we were doing before. The lunch periods are going to be the same, recess is going to be the same, and our bus practices are the same.”