Shields on student desks at Beveridge Elementary School in Gary

Gary relaxes COVID restrictions, public schools reopen

Contributed By:The 411 News

The relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions and the return of more students to school buildings, in Gary and across the nation, along with the rollout of a vaccine signal the success of efforts to fight the spread of the virus and pandemic.

But at the same time, the U.S. marked 500,000 COVID-19 deaths, the highest number among nations worldwide.

Gary Mayor Jerome Prince announced Monday that the city is increasing the number of persons allowed at social gatherings, public and private.

The limit on the number of people in attendance is being increased from 25% of an establishment's capacity to 50%. The 6-feet rule for social distancing remains and masks must be worn.

The relaxed restrictions apply to businesses, religious institutions, private residences and at events. Bars and nightclubs in Gary will return to 3am closings.

Any gathering expecting to exceed the 50% capacity will need to get permission said Dr. Roland Walker, Gary's Health Commissioner. The host or organization sponsoring the event must submit a safety plan to the Special Events Office at City Hall prior to the event.

Nearly half of the Gary Community School Corporation's 4,500 students returned to buildings for in-person instruction for the first time Monday, since closing mid-March 2020 due to the pandemic.

The other half of the student body remains virtual at this time.

"So far, we have been pleased with how things are going with re-entry," said Dr. Paige McNulty, Manager of GCSC. "We thank the parents, students and staff for their patience as we navigate through times no school district has ever experienced."

Teachers have been trained to instruct in-person and virtual students simultaneously with the aid of cameras, white boards and various educational applications. Live instruction takes place Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The buildings are closed on Wednesdays for deep cleaning while all students participate in online instruction.

Each school developed a re-entry plan designed to safely bring students and staff into the facilities at scheduled times.

Temperatures are checked before entering the building, and hand sanitizer stations are readily available at the entrances and most doorways. Each student and teacher has desk shields and are required to wear a mask when moving around the building and classroom.

“We’re really proud of our teachers and administrators for being so nimble through all the changes,” added McNulty. "We thank the parents for being patient and understanding as we implement the new processes in every school."

Breakfast and lunch are pre-packaged, and students are assigned numbers to indicate where they should sit on the bus, in classrooms and in the cafeteria. Each school also hosted virtual parent meetings to explain the new protocols and procedures for in-person learning.

“We look forward to the day when we can bring back all of our students," said McNulty. "We will continue to watch the COVID-19 numbers, and inform our families of any changes in operation as they occur.”

Story Posted:02/24/2021