Stickers on seats will remind students to sit separately on school buses, shown here at Norris Middle School in July. Many schools will be opening under the district’s Family 3/2 Model, which divides students into two groups, each of which would attend school in person part of the week. Students who choose to stay remote will not be able to participate in on-site extracurricular activities.
Frequent and specialized cleaning among methods OPS will use this fall.
The Omaha Public Schools have announced dates for getting students back inside classrooms for the first time since March.
The district also said in an email that it will be conducting regular COVID-19 testing of all staff.
Last week, Superintendent Cheryl Logan said the goal is to get students in school by the start of the second quarter, which starts Oct. 19. On Wednesday, the district sent a letter home elaborating on those plans.
Many schools will be opening under the district’s Family 3/2 Model, which calls for students to be divided into two groups, each of which would attend school in person part of the week.
On Sept. 23, in-person lessons five days a week will begin for students in the K-12 Alternate Curriculum Program, Transition, Elementary Behavioral Skills Program, Early Childhood Special Education and Hearing Impaired Classrooms.
On Oct. 5, elementary and middle school students will return to school under the Family 3/2 Model. Early Childhood and Middle School Behavioral Skills Program will also return at that time.
On Oct. 19, high school students will return to school under the Family 3/2 Model. Other programs like the Career Center and Blackburn will also return at that time.
When elementary students are at home in the Family 3/2 Model, students will attend a morning meeting and later access on- demand lessons in English and math, according to a letter sent home to families.
Under the same model, secondary students will virtually attend the entire school day on the days they are at home.
Remote learning will continue to be an option for families who do not feel comfortable sending students back to physical schools.
Families will receive an email about opting into remote learning. The forms are due by Sunday. The letter said the remote learning program could evolve in the weeks to come based on the amount of interest.
With the district returning to in-person learning, OPS will proceed with winter sports and activities that begin in November. The letter said students will be able to attend practices on days they are not doing in-person learning, but students participating in remote learning will not be eligible to participate in on-site extracurricular activities.
If a large number of COVID-19 cases prompts a school closure, the letter said, sports and activities would be suspended while students learn from home.
The district still plans on playing fall sports this spring.
Citing health and safety concerns, OPS started the school year with remote learning in August. Last week, Logan told the school board that OPS would take a phased approach to getting students back in school.
This week the first phase of that plan took effect, and students at J.P. Lord School returned to in-person lessons on Wednesday. The school educates students from across Omaha with a variety of complex needs, often multiple cognitive and physical disabilities.
On Tuesday, OPS staff was informed that, in addition to the health and safety protocols of face coverings and social distancing, OPS will also be conducting regular COVID-19 testing of all staff, according to an email.
The email was sent by Charles Wakefield, OPS’s chief human resources officer. Wakefield said the test results would be seen only by the person who took the test and select staff in OPS human resources. He said the results will be treated as confidential medical records and will be kept in a secure file with the department.
Bridget Blevins, a spokesperson for the district, said the testing will be done through a partnership with TestNebraska.
“This testing is being required by the district, following consultation with our health care partners, to protect both students and staff during this pandemic,” Blevins said.
The World-Herald reached out to the Omaha Education Association, which represents OPS staff, for comment on the district’s plans, but messages were not immediately returned.
Spokespeople for several school districts in the metro area said their districts are not mandating periodic COVID-19 testing for teachers or student-teachers to remain in schools. Those districts include Bellevue, Bennington, Gretna, Millard, Papillion La Vista, Springfield Platteview, Ralston, Westside, Douglas County West and Elkhorn public schools, as well as Grand Island.

Signs at Norris Middle School in Omaha promote best health practices.
The Lincoln Public Schools, while not regularly testing teachers, are requiring periodic testing for student-teachers and for practicum students who are in their last semester of college before student-teaching.
An official with the Lincoln district said the testing requirement arose from concerns about disease spread on the college campuses that supply the teacher trainees.
Under the Lincoln district’s testing requirements, those students had to obtain an initial COVID-19 test over Labor Day weekend before starting their placement in a school. In addition, they must be tested every two weeks.
The student reports the test results to their college, which notifies the district that the student has been cleared.
A student testing positive must stay out of the school and isolate.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department asked the school district to implement the testing, said Eric Weber, associate superintendent for human resources.
“This was the result of some of the numbers we were seeing that were coming out of the colleges and universities around positivity rates. We have a lot of student-teachers and practicum students in our district, obviously, with the university system being here and the other small colleges around Lincoln.”
Weber said his district is not contemplating testing teachers at this time.
World-Herald staff writer Joe Dejka contributed to this report.
Our best staff images of September 2020
Photos: Our best staff images of September 2020
Pence arrives

Vice President Mike Pence arrives at Eppley Airfield in Omaha on Thursday, October 01, 2020. The vice president spoke at PVS Structures, a metal fabricator, in Carter Lake, Iowa as part of a Make America Great Again! campaign event.
Football Sunset

The sun sets over the David City Aquinas vs. Oakland-Craig football game at Oakland City Park in Oakland, Neb., on Friday, September 25, 2020. Oakland-Craig won the game 28-12.
Jump

Union Omaha's Elma N'For dribbles the ball against Richmond Kickers' defense.
Meal Time

Caleb Nissen, 19 months, eats dinner with his parents, Michael and Jessica Nissen, of Oakland, before the start of the David City Aquinas vs. Oakland-Craig football game at Oakland City Park in Oakland, Neb., on Friday, September 25, 2020. Oakland-Craig won the game 28-12.
Campaign

Charlene Ligon, chairwoman of the Sarpy County Democratic Party, introduces Jill Biden and Doug Emhoff at an event in Papillion on Saturday.
Spider Web

Paisley Gaver, 5, decorates her grandma’s yard for Halloween with stretchy spider webs in South Omaha on Friday, September 18, 2020.
Union Omaha New England

New England Revolution II's keeper Joseph Rice makes a save over the head of Union Omaha's Elma N'For.
Monarch

Some monarchs fly 3,000 miles to reach Mexico, where the insects overwinter.
Library

Debbie Cooley, of Omaha, visits the Omaha Public Library's Milton R. Abrahams branch on Monday, Sept. 21, 2020.
Millard South Bellevue West

Bellevue West's Ryan Rogers, right, hits Millard South's Taekwon Johnson, as he Johnson was trying to return a kick to start the second half.
Twirl

Millard North won the game 46-41 with a touchdown on the final play of the game. A Millard North baton twirler performs before the start of the Lincoln East vs. Millard North football game at Millard South High School in Omaha on Thursday, September 17, 2020.
Balance

Lincoln East's Austin Schneider (8) gets away from Millard North's Isaiah McMorris (8) in the Lincoln East vs. Millard North football game at Millard South High School in Omaha on Thursday, September 17, 2020. Millard North won the game 46-41 with a touchdown on the final play of the game.
Grand Jury

James Scurlock II has a tattoo that says, "Truth be told" on his arm as he answers questions about the charges filed against Jake Gardner in the killing of Scurlock's son, also named James.
Grand jury reaction

Protesters hug and celebrate the indictment of Jake Gardner on Tuesday at the corner of 50th Street and Underwood Avenue.
Focus

Elkhorn North's Hunter Richardson (1) looks to pass the ball in the Plattsmouth vs. Elkhorn North football game at Elkhorn High School on Friday, September 11, 2020. This is Elkhorn North's first home game in history. Plattsmouth won the game 34-7.
Sept. 11

A person runs with their dog near a display of American flags on Friday at Memorial Park in Omaha. The 2,977 flags represent the lives lost in the Sept 11 attacks 19 years ago.
Sept 11 Taps

John Herrmann, with the American Legion Honor and VFW honor detail plays Taps, during a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony before the start of the Millard South and Millard West game.
Elkhorn-Waverly high school football

Elkhorn's Aiden Young dodges a tackle from Waverly 's Evan Canoyer.
Flu Shots

Reed Elias, 15, of Omaha, holds on to Molly, his family’s 8-month-old miniature schnauzer, while getting a shot from Kristy Gohr, a certified medical assistant, during a drive-thru flu shot clinic at a Methodist Physicians Clinic in Omaha on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020.
September Images 1

The sun sets behind the Waverly stands during the Omaha Skutt vs. Waverly football game at Waverly High School in Waverly on Friday, September 4, 2020. Waverly won the game 17-7.
September Images 2

A Corona Extra display is seen wearing a mask at Wine, Beer and Spirits, 3435 Oak View Drive in Omaha on Tuesday, September 01, 2020.
September Images 3

Stalks of corn are browning near Winslow, Neb., on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.
September Images 4

Brothers-in-law Mark Policky, of Seward, and Kevin McGrath, of Lincoln, tailgate by themselves outside Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday, September 5, 2020. The Huskers were originally set to open the football season against Purdue at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. "This is kind of our protest against the Big Ten today," McGrath said. "We can't let the Huskers down," Policky added.
September Images 5

The parking to the east of Memorial Stadium has no tailgaters in Lincoln on Saturday, September 5, 2020. The Huskers were originally set to open the football season against Purdue at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
September Images 6

A pedestrian walks in downtown Lincoln on Saturday, September 5, 2020. The Huskers were originally set to open the football season against Purdue at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
September Images 7

People stand out on 42nd Street near Pacific Street to watch as Omaha police officers escort the body of Lincoln police officer Mario Herrera back to Lincoln after he died on Monday, September 07, 2020. Herrera was shot Aug. 26 while trying to serve a warrant.
September Images 8

Lincoln police officer Mario Herrera is escorted on Monday near 42nd and Grover in Omaha. Herrera passed away early Monday after being shot on duty August 26th.
September Images 9

Kristin Pehoviack and Audrey Lash feed sea lions at the new Owen Sea Lion Shores exhibit at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.
September Images 10

Visitors get an up close view of a sea lion at the new Owen Sea Lion Shores exhibit at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo.
September Images 11

Elkhorn warms up as the sun starts to set before their game against Omaha Roncalli.
September Images 12

Todd Shannon, a parent of an Omaha Public Schools student speaks at a protest calling for the return of fall sports in the district.
September Images 13

A crosswalk sign is seen through a rain covered glass wall of a bus shelter on Farnam Street near 34th Strreet on Tuesday, September 08, 2020.
September Images 14

Omaha Roncalli's Quincy Evans stretches but can't pull down this third down pass in the third quarter in front of Elkhorn's Zach Leinen.
September Images 15

People watch the Omaha Skutt vs. Waverly football game from a hill outside the stadium at Waverly High School in Waverly on Friday, September 4, 2020.
September Images 16

Waverly takes the field for the Omaha Skutt vs. Waverly football game at Waverly High School in Waverly on Friday, September 4, 2020.
September Images 17

Millard South's Ryan Holdsworth (3) and Gage Stenger (12) celebrate a touchdown against Elkhorn South.
emily.nitcher@owh.com, 402-444-1192