Fargo public school students return to in person learning Tuesday

"The most important thing is making sure that our students and staff are masked, making sure that we're practicing good hand hygiene."

FARGO, N.D — Fargo public schools return to in person learning on Tuesday.

After an unexpected transition to virtual learning all Fargo public school students are now able to return to campus for in person classes.

“Our process in Fargo Public Schools is that we’ve always had what we call a COVID-19 instructional planning committee, so when our committee met last on January 11th we decided that starting the second semester January 19th it is appropriate to bring all of our students back for our goal which was in person instruction five days a week,” Fargo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Rupak Gandhi said.

With students back on campus, increased precautions must be taken.

“The most important thing is making sure that our student and staff are masked, making sure that were practicing good hand hygiene, we have worked with our maintenance and operation department to make sure that we’ve arrived ventilation systems within our buildings as well, and just making sure that to the level that we can we are reducing those transmissible moments. We will try to avoid mixing large groups and mixing multiple groups when we can,” Dr. Gandhi said.

For parents and children who may be feeling hesitant of students returning to classes there is an option to opt out.

“We have always provided students the opportunity to participate in a virtual academy we’ve had several hundreds of students on our virtual academy and that number has waived a little bit, but it’s been pretty consistent, our virtual academy runs concurrently but yet independently from our in person instruction and that’s going to continue to be an option for our students this year,” Dr. Gandhi said.

While some families may forgo in person learning classes, there may be a few who may not have the same option due to a lack of student resources.

“It’s important for us to know that no student or family will be denied an opportunity for them to self select which opportunity they want because of resources. We have worked as Fargo Public Schools to make sure that any family or student in need gets the technology and the internet that they need as well. So if there’s any family that has a resource or a need for their child’s academics or they don’t have that, we encourage them to work with the school because we will make sure that that is provided and no one is denied that opportunity,” Dr. Gandhi said.

Dr. Gandhi encourages students returning to classes and their parents to check out Fargo Public Schools’ COVID-19 resource page for an easier transition.

You can find a link to it here.