WINONA – According to Winona Christian School Headmaster Jimmy Pittman, this year’s return to school was much smoother than expected, especially as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Mississippi.
Students at Winona Christian returned to school on August 6 with a traditional face-to-face instruction plan in place. The administration put into place certain safety protocols to protect students and teachers, and so far, there has not been an outbreak of positive cases at the school.
“This has been one of the smoother openings we’ve had,” Pittman said. “The kids have really done well. They have done everything we’ve asked.”
In addition to regular sanitizing of classrooms and common areas, students and teachers must abide by social distancing rules in the hallways and cafeteria. Masks are required by students and teachers inside classrooms and out, according to Pittman.
Initially, Pittman said the requirement of masks inside classrooms were left up to the teachers, but two or three days into the school year, masks were required campus-wide by all students and teachers.
So far, Winona Christian has reported just one case of a student testing positive for COVID-19.
“There were two negative tests before a positive test,” Pittman said. “However, no one else [student or faculty member] tested positive. We feel very fortunate.”
Pittman said with break and lunch, staff members are assigned to the doors outside the cafeteria to let students in gradually and in small groups. The school also purchased picnic tables and placed them around the grounds for students to use during break and lunch.
“We are doing some good things,” Pittman said. “We are doing some things we will keep [in the future].”
More good news this school year, Pittman said student enrollment is up this school year, and calls about registration are still coming in for elementary and high school registration.
“Enrollment is up considerably – up about 50 kids than last year,” Pittman said. “We are on the verge of capping out on some classes.”
However, the pandemic has had a negative effect on high school athletics.
“That last executive order [mandating only that each participant only be allowed two guests at sporting events] has created a hardship as far as funding athletics,” Pittman said.
Pittman said if the mandate was simply 25 percent capacity in the stadium or gymnasium, that would be easier than only allowing two guests per student participant.
“I could work with 25 percent more than with two tickets,” Pittman said.
Winona Christian hosted Tunica Academy last Friday for the first football game of the season. He said attendance was higher than what is expected in the future, but that was due to peewee football players and cheerleaders performing at halftime, which brought additional parents to the stadium.
