The Haines Borough school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to send students back to school five days a week starting Tuesday, Sept. 8. The school day will still end at 2:15 p.m.

Since the start of school on Aug. 20, students have been divided into two groups, with each group attending classes two days a week. School administrators proposed the part-time schedule to ensure staff and students get used to COVID-19 mitigation measures.

Among the mitigation measures, students and staff must wear face coverings, children enter and exit the school through designated entryways, different grade levels maintain their own pods within the school and parents are expected to screen children for symptoms before sending them to school.

“As a new teacher, the start of this year has gone extremely smoothly, way smoother than I was anticipating,” art teacher Giselle Miller told the board.

Parent Sierra Jimenez told the board that she was initially skeptical of sending her two boys back to school, but that the first two weeks have gone great. “My kids are happy,” Jimenez said. “They have no issues with any of the protocol. It’s easy. They go with it. All the teachers and administration, what you’ve done so far through this pandemic is remarkable. I just wanted to express my gratitude.”

There are currently 169 students attending in-person classes and 25 students attending classes virtually. Current enrollment is 69 percent of what was expected before the pandemic, as many families have chosen to homeschool.

Other mitigation measures include sending students home who display symptoms of COVID-19. If they don’t get tested, they must remain home for 10 days. If they receive negative test results and have no fever, they may return.

Five students were sent home in one day during the first week, principal Lilly Boron said.

The board will be updated at their monthly meeting on the progress at school, and superintendent Roy Getchell said that the district’s goal is to have as much in-person learning as possible before the typical flu season begins.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know what the winter is going to look like and we can’t predict that,” Getchell said. “It appears we’re more likely to be successful with in-person learning right now.”

The board also voted, with Brian Clay opposed, to approve a cross-country travel schedule with the conditions that no travel can occur to communities with active cases, travel must be direct and chartered with the same-day return, athletes must be tested within three days of participating in the event, students cannot mix in any community setting.