Fairmont Area Schools will be up and running in the fall, with schools reopened for in-person learning. Superintendent Joe Brown shared the news during a school board meeting Wednesday. Administrators have been working on a plan to allow students to return to school while also maintaining safe COVID-19 practices. “Our plan is to open up school on Sept. 8 with all students and staff back full time,” Brown said. “The planning team met almost every day for four hours per day in the month of July and again this week.” Approval of the back to school plan came after a presentation of the school district 4 building principals. Supt. Brown cautioned though that should there be a significant rise in Covid cases in the county, the plan could still change. Feedback from a family survey taken of school district residents 75% preferred the in person mode of learning for the start of the school year.
The Fairmont School Board also approved the Face Covering Policy required for adherence to the statewide face mask mandate. The board also approved a Memorandum of Understanding waiving the March 15 retirement notification for math teacher Brian Ostlie that had been approved by the school district and Education Minnesota Fairmont and then approved the letter of retirement effective June 5,2020 of Mr. Ostlie who has served the district since 1991.