School Board to discuss reopening strategies for school year

By Everett Brazil, III

The Newkirk Herald Journal

NEWKIRK — The Newkirk Public Schools Board of Education will hold a special meeting this evening, July 23, at 7 p.m. in The Commons at Newkirk High School to discuss a proposed plan to reopen NPS for the 2020-2021 school year.

The meeting is open to the public.

The school facilities have been closed since Spring Break, March 16, due to lockdowns during the COVID-19 outbreak to protect students and faculty from the risk of serious illness. Students finished the school year remotely through Google programs, among other strategies.

School administration, faculty and other community leaders formed a committee to make a plan to reopen the schools.

“The 16-person committee that has worked on the plan included parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders,” said Superintendent Scott Kempenich. “We have a good array of individuals in the community to help us get a plan in place for Newkirk.”

School Board members will look at the draft to determine whether to continue forward with the plan.

“The board will vote to approve of not approve the plan,” he said. “Once the plan is in place, we will post it on the school Web site and Facebook page.”

For more information, contact NHS at (580) 362-6241.