By Wednesday, each public school will finalize their own operational and teaching plans for next school year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that may involve face-to-face and online learning and rotating when students come on campus.

A list of schools and their 2020-21 models will be posted on the state Department of Education’s website, hawaiipublicschools.org.

Schools also will notify families, DOE officials said Thursday, as it unveiled its “Return to Learn: School Reopening Plan.”

“As we move forward in our commitment to reopen schools on Aug. 4 for the fall semester, we know that the delivery of instruction in Hawaii, across the nation and globally is going to look very different,” state Schools Superintendent Christina Kishimoto said in a news release Thursday. “Our HIDOE ohana has been diligently working on plans for the new school year, growing from our experience navigating a global pandemic and applying lessons learned toward our commitment to high-quality learning and equity of access.”

The DOE said it is committed to maintaining the standard 180 instructional days in the new school year.

How a student’s school day will look will depend on his or her grade level, with higher priority on face-to-face instruction given to those in kindergarten to 2nd grade and those more vulnerable, including students with special needs, in unstable housing and who are English language learners.

The school day could include blended rotations where some students are on campus for in-person classes and others are using distance learning. The sessions could occur simultaneously or at different times.

Following the DOE’s announcement of the opening of schools, the Hawaii State Teachers Association, the union representing 13,700 public school teachers statewide, held a virtual news conference and took aim at social distancing spacing, safety and logistical issues.

They focused on Kishimoto telling a Honolulu television reporter that schools could distance students 3 feet apart if they are facing in the same direction, such as toward the front of the class, and not at each other.

HSTA President Corey Rosenlee said the distancing should be 6 feet, which is what the teachers union and state recently had agreed upon. He noted that the University of Hawaii called for 6-feet distancing when it reopens for students for the fall semester.

Rosenlee said 30 to 40 percent of teachers are in the high-risk COVID-19 category with at least one-third over 50 years old. Some teachers may have health conditions that the DOE is unaware of due to privacy reasons.

“This is not making the health and safety of our staff and students a priority,” he said.

Following the HSTA news conference, the DOE responded in an email, saying that the reopening health and safety handbook notes that it is not always possible to keep 6 feet apart in the school setting. DOE officials said that the 3-feet minimum distancing guidance for students not facing one another was recommended by the state Department of Health.

In response to questions from the media, Rosenlee said other concerns of teachers include how blended learning will occur if students are on a rotating on-campus, off-campus schedule. He said 40 percent of teachers also have school-aged children of their own and like other parents will have to find child care for the off-campus days.

Rosenlee called on teachers and parents to reach out to the state Board of Education to mandate the 6-foot distancing. The DOE’s reopening plan is scheduled to be presented to the BOE at its meeting Thursday. 

Rosenlee also hoped that school principals have a dialogue with staff and teachers on how the learning will occur in their schools. This could lead to a lot more buy-in with staff and better morale. 

The DOE, in consultation with labor unions and the state Department of Health, developed baseline guidance for schools. This includes: 

• Cohorts. For on-campus learning, the same group of students should be kept with the same staff throughout the day, all day for younger students and as much as possible for older students.

• Physical distancing. Six feet between students and staff members should be maintained whenever possible.

• Face coverings. Face coverings should be worn by employees, students and visitors, especially when physical distancing is difficult or impossible.

• Meals. Individually plated meals will be consumed in classrooms or at designated outdoor locations; distancing precautions must be instituted in cafeterias if used.

• Ventilation. Windows should be opened for greater natural air circulation when possible.

• Monitoring health: Employees, students and visitors should be screened for overt signs of illness in a safe and respectful manner.

• Hygiene. Cleaning supplies, including soap, disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer, will be made available to schools and offices.

• Sanitation. Campuses, classrooms and offices will be cleaned and disinfected on a routine and frequent basis. High-touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected at least daily.

• School buses. Students, drivers and anyone else riding the bus should wear face coverings and physical distance should be maintained between children on buses.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.