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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 released its approach to the gating criteria for next week being in the red. According to a Facebook post from the district, in discussion with Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson, he fully supports schools being remote when in red gating criteria unless class sizes are around 10.Nickerson High School and Reno Valley Middle School will continue to provide remote learning as they are now. Nickerson Elementary School will reduce class sizes to comply with red gating criteria. Recess will be restricted to individual classes. Breakfast and lunch continue in classrooms. Other restrictions will be used as necessary to reduce cohort groups co-mingling for more than 10 minutes.South Hutchinson Elementary will reduce class sizes. In order to get class sizes down and comply with the red gating criteria, some specials classes will be paused in order to provide core instruction. Additionally, in order to provide teachers time for planning and lunch, South Hutchinson Elementary students will end their day at 1:40 p.m. while in the Red. This goal will allow the district to offer quality in-school instruction on core curriculum without students having to log on to school while at home. Additional mitigations will be implemented to restrict the co-mingling of small cohort groups.Patrons must commit to being socially distant, wearing a mask, washing hands, and staying home when ill. Health Order 20-03 has been put into place due to our extremely high case count, high PTR and HRMC Covid-19 positive cases are increasing. This limits mass gatherings to 100 people, this does not include public and private business or school functions. However, social distancing of more than six feet is highly recommended at work, and mandated at sporting events and social functions. Varsity athletics only will continue as fall season sports finish. Spectators will be limited to 10%. It will be important for fans to commit to wearing a mask and increasing your social distance of 6 feet or more in the stands in order to continue to provide student-athletes a safe environment for education and extra-curricular activities.

USD 309 releases approach to red zone