WHEELING — West Virginia Catholic Schools have announced a plan to welcome students and staff back into the classroom this August.

“We are working with our principals and pastors to lay out a plan to have their students in school five days a week,” Superintendent Mary Ann Deschaine said. “As we move forward with these plans we have been and will continue to take exhaustive measures to keep the health and safety of our children and staff a critical priority.”

Schools are taking preventive measures and making adjustments, based on state and federal health recommendations, including detailed instructions on entrance and exit procedures, heightened cleaning, temperature checks, wearing of masks in designated areas, adjustments to the lunch area and schedule, adjustments to lab and curriculum scheduling and a restructuring of physical education classes, choir and band.

Services provided to the Catholic schools through the county will be based on the individual county school mandates to be announced later this summer.

“Our world is ever-changing, and our West Virginia Catholic Schools embrace that, while at the same time continue to maintain a Christ-centered learning environment which includes a focus on the social, emotional, physical, and mental well-being of each child,” she said.

“We recognize that social emotional learning is key to the successful development of a child. It is critical to life experiences. Making those moments for peer interaction possible is our job. Taking the responsibility to do so in the safest and most secure way is our responsibility and privilege.”

Classrooms will be reorganized, with extra furnishings removed to provide room for safe distancing. Training will be available on cleaning procedures falling under recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Training on enhanced e-learning and distance engagement will be provided for teachers within the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston.

In addition, from Aug. 3-7, pupils from kindergarten to 10th grade will be able to take the NWEA assessment, to identify any areas where additional help may be needed.

“Our students take the NWEA assessment three times a year to assess progress and identify academic growth ,” Deschaine said. “We don’t rely on a once a year assessment system. So, this August assessment will highlight what we need to do to have a successful start to our academic year.”

Other enrichment opportunities will be made available during the summer.

While each school will announce its own start date, plans call for all Catholic schools to be in operation no later than Aug. 24.