SHERBURN — Martin County West School Board this week delved into reopening plans at the district.

Michelle Baker, dean of students, reported the schools are retooling and working on plans for a safe environment. Among items being discussed: lunch room strategies, traffic flow in the building and location of students.

There will be a workshop for staff from Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, with videos on social/emotional support, student engagement, and hybrid- and distance-learning strategies.

Registration is next week for in-school and distance-learning students.

The board discussed a face-covering policy and the district will follow the mandated policy from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

On Sept. 2, there will be a new student and seventh-graders workshop to acquaint them with the building. Students will be divided into groups to adhere to social-distancing protocol.

Plans for homecoming, cross country and other groups are to still be decided.

Chad Brusky, principal in Trimont, reported that the Trimont site also is working on plans for a safe environment for students and teachers. They will change the lunchroom practice of having two grades in the lunchroom at a time (usually 100 students) to having one grade in the lunchroom. They also will have students line up outside in the morning before entering the building to help with social distancing.

Superintendent Allison Schmidt reminded the board that the first day of school is Sept. 8 for grades 7-12. On that day, a workshop for teachers in the elementary school is scheduled in the morning while parent conferences are scheduled in the afternoon and evening. The first day of school for students in grades K-6 is Sept. 10.

In other district news:

o Community Education & Recreation officials report they are pleased with the number of children signed up for preschool. The numbers are 12 children for the 4-year-olds a.m. session and 12 for the p.m. session at Sherburn, which meets Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. There are 8 in the 3-year-olds a.m. session. Trimont enrollment is 10 in the 3- and 4-year-old a.m. session and 8 in the p.m. session on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

o The school board approved a lease agreement for a five-year term with the Live Fit gym in Fairmont for Martin County West gymnastics. The $6,000 per month fee will be split between the Martin County West and Fairmont school districts.

o School board members asked about the Welcome school closing schedule. It is to be closed next month. Board members also asked about plans for the building so it does not stand vacant for a long time. And they asked about a date for a meeting of the community group formed to discuss the building plans. No date has been set. Schmidt said she would look into scheduling a date.