VAN VLECK, Texas – The Van Vleck Independent School District in Matagorda County is using sneeze guards on all desks for an extra layer of protection for students and staff this year.
“There’s an overall feeling of a little bit of anxiousness, but we also know for our community and for our kids that it’s important that we get back to school,” said Van Vleck ISD Superintendent John O’Brien.
The district is starting school both online and in-person.
Of the 1,050 students district-wide, 85% of students are returning to the classroom.
In the brand-new high school, there are signs in the hallways that remind people about social-distancing and hand sanitizer
“We also have various things in the classrooms, like sneeze guards for the students, sneeze guards for the teachers,” said O’Brien.
The district has sneeze guards in every classroom and on every desk.
“They’re designed specifically for our desks and for the teachers’ desks and they can be removed easily,” O’Brien said. “They’re actually portable.”
Before entering the schools, people have to fill out a questionnaire on their phones.
“The QR scan for our patrons coming in the door, that way we can help trace and track our folks coming in the building,” said O’Brien.
They even plan to install a wall thermometer at the front door to take everyone’s temperature.
O’Brien said their goal is to keep kids and teachers safe.
“We’re going to practice those things that we know are effective, like wearing face coverings, like social-distancing and we’re going to teach our kids that, which in turn helps teach our public that,” said O’Brien.
The district is opening a new high school and elementary school.
O’Brien said they used leftover bond money for the sneeze guards and other safety measures.
