KPS COVID-19 PLANS

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. The ARP Act includes nearly $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) Fund that allows state and local education agencies (LEAs) to take additional steps for continued safe in-person instruction and to address unfinished teaching and learning to mitigate the pandemic.
The ESSER III funding enables Nebraska school districts to promote safe school operations and equity-driven, sustainable, evidence-based programs to serve students – especially those who are the furthest from opportunity – and to continue to strengthen teaching and learning:
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- consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools to the greatest extent practicable; address the many impacts of COVID-19 on students, including from interrupted instruction;
- implement strategies to meet students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs;
- offer crucial summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs;
- support early childhood education;
- invest in staff capacity; and
- avoid devastating layoffs at this critical moment, ensuring that all students have access to teachers; counselors, and other school personnel to support their needs.
- allowable uses for school systems
RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN
Kearney Public Schools believes that in-person, in the classroom, is the best way for children to learn. Designed to create the safest learning environment, our Return to School Plan will keep our schools open for in-person learning. We understand the current risks with Covid-19 and believe that this plan will support the needs of our students and staff and while mitigating the health and safety concerns in our community and schools. Kearney Public Schools will review and update the Return to School Plan throughout the school year as the risk of COVID-19 changes and as new research emerges and more guidance is provided to the school district.
Please note: Kearney Public Schools will adjust protocols as necessary to address changing conditions. During the school year, protocols and requirements may change for a specific school building, program, classroom, transportation, or a setting based on the number of positive cases, contact tracing, community test positivity rate, community conditions, and risk of spread. Safety measure considerations are face-covering requirements, discontinuing certain activities, classroom closures, school closures, and other precautionary measures.
