GHS may offer outdoor classes for two months

Grafton High School officials are exploring several outdoor learning options as the district prepares for classes to resume next week.

School Principal Scott Mantei told the School Board on Monday the school has three outdoor spaces that can be used for instruction and would allow students to remove their masks and maintain social distancing.

“We want to give our students a little break outside,” Mantei said. “We wanted to come up with a creative way to get our kids outside for September and October.”

One of the outdoor learning spaces includes the school forest. Last week, members of the football team helped clean the wooded area and installed a whiteboard.

The custodial staff is currently installing benches in the school’s courtyard to accommodate a class of 26 students. 

The third space is near the entrance of the auxiliary gymnasium. Mantei said there will be two 20-by-40-foot tents and two eight-foot tables that can accommodate up to 30 students.

Supt. Jeff Nelson said students will be able to access wifi outside the school, thanks in large part to a grant the district received about a month ago from Hewlett Packard. 

“It will allow access to reach all these areas that we wouldn’t be able to do otherwise,” Nelson said.

Mantei said there will be a signup sheet for teachers to schedule their classes. He said teachers will follow school safety protocols when leaving the building. 

“We are still researching this opportunity, but we think this will benefit our students learning experience during the pandemic,” Mantei said.