"There can be a lot of pressure on our teachers to do different things," board member Jennifer DiBrienza said. "Let's just be patient right now."
The high schools' student board representatives urged board members to proactively seek feedback on the new plan from students after they have had time to think through the option of returning to school.
District staff will bring a proposal to the next board meeting to provide COVID-19 testing for secondary school students, Austin said. Employees are currently tested on a biweekly basis.
Austin cautioned that this is a temporary, limited step toward reopening for this school year. The district still hopes to return to normal school — five days a week of in-person learning — in the fall.