Bement schools are planning on having students in their buildings full time come the start of the new school year, however, they will be reducing class hours.

Superintendent Dr. Sheila Greenwood on the WHOW Morning Show Thursday told Regional Radio News the reduction in hours is to reduce the amount of mask-wearing time for their kids and also to allow them additional time to clean. The announcement comes after the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois School Board Association put out guidelines to return to class amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Greenwood indicates they received around an 80/20 split of parents that would have their students comply with the mask mandate to those that say they would not. She indicates they are still working through how to handle the situation of a student that may not return to class in the fall for whatever reason.

Bement school teachers told district leadership they were all in for a reopening of schools in the fall. Dr. Greenwood says not one teacher gave them a dissenting vote and so that gave them a leg up in a return to class strategy. She notes though, there is more guidance likely to come from IDPH regarding any outbreaks in school.

Dr. Greenwood asks everyone to quote - "chill out" because school is still a month or more away. She points out while children are at low risk to high-level complications from the coronavirus, there are adults who will come into contact with the kids that could be at risk and they are going to do their best to keep everyone as safe as possible.