Every student and staff member in the Fort Dodge Community School District will receive a face covering to use during this school year to help protect against COVID-19.

The district’s Board of Education approved the $12,900 proposal to purchase 4,300 face masks in assorted sizes from Optic Ink of Fort Dodge on Monday night.

The masks will be double-layered cloth masks, Superintendent Jesse Ulrich said.

“These are good quality,” Ulrich said.

Students and staff will be encouraged to use the face coverings when social distancing is not possible.

The cost of the face coverings will come out of the district’s general fund.

School board President Stu Cochrane asked if there was any outside funding from the state or federal governments to pay for the masks. Ulrich answered that the money from the CARES Act that the district received went into the district’s general fund.

Ulrich added that the district will also be purchasing face shields for teachers who request them.

The school board also approved a change order for the new central office and maintenance facility project totaling $20,070.60. The change order will cover additional Americans with Disabilities Act parking and pavement replacement in the building’s parking lot.

Prior to the start of the project, the district did not know that the cement in the parking lot did not meet ADA requirements, Ulrich said.

The other major discussion the board had on Monday was on the district’s “return-to-learn” plan.

When Gov. Kim Reynolds released her proclamation on July 10 requiring districts to have at least 50% in-person instruction, the Fort Dodge district was forced to reevaluate its hybrid learning model. The hybrid learning model originally called for having students divided into Group A and Group B, with Group A receiving in-person instruction on Mondays and Tuesdays and Group B on Thursdays and Fridays.

As that original hybrid model does not meet the governor’s requirements, the district is working on revising it, but Ulrich is asking families to be patient.

“We are waiting on some guidance that we need before we get in front of families and try to answer questions,” he said.

Ulrich added that he knows that this is a frustrating situation for families and staff, but until the district receives guidance, it doesn’t have any answers.

Ulrich said though the district will be doing its best to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within classrooms, there’s still the possibility of infection.

“Fort Dodge schools will have a safe and healthy environment for our students and staff,” Ulrich said, “but we cannot guarantee that COVID won’t be in our schools.”

While the Fort Dodge district continues to work on the return-to-learn plan and await state guidance, the district is meeting families of students with special needs to make sure each child’s needs are met.

Ulrich said “a lot of things” will likely change between now and the school board’s next meeting on Aug. 10.