Two Westside schools shifting to 50% capacity next Thursday

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Westside Middle School and Westside High School will be increasing the amount of in-person learning taking place on-site.

Westside Superintendent Mike Lucas released a statement on the district's website, which reads, "It is now our plan to move to our 50% Yellow Mode at Westside Middle School and Westside High School beginning on Thursday, September 3rd. All of our safety protocols have worked extremely well at 25% and will continue to be emphasized and followed at 50%."

Students will report to school based on the following guidelines:

• Last Names L-Z come on Thursday, September 3^rd and Friday, September 4^th

• Last Names A-K come on Tuesday, September 8^th and Wednesday, September 9^th (due to Labor Day/No School on Monday, September 7^th)
• Last Names L-Z come on Thursday, September 10^th and Friday, September 11^th
• Last Names A-K come on Monday, September 14^th and Tuesday, September 15^th
• Wednesday, September 16^th is an at-home/extended campus learning day for all students

Lucas says COVID-19 numbers for Westside Schools have been low with two staff members testing positive and no students testing positive. Less than 1 percent of staff or students have had to quarantine due to exposure Lucas says.

Westside Elementary Schools and the West Campus were already operating at 50 percent capacity and will continue to do so.

The district hopes to shift to an 80 percent in-person model on Thursday, September 17 but says it will continue to monitor reported cases when making that decision.

Students who signed up for remote learning only, about 20 percent of students, will be allowed to continue to do so and the option will also be offered for the district's second quarter.