POLAND — One piece of the Poland Local Schools reopening plan that is a certainty is daily temperature checks at the buildings.

David Janofa, schools superintendent, said district administration had been looking for a while at ways to complete daily temperature checks, when a thermal device was selected.

“We’ve been searching for a few months knowing the potential for us to do temperature checks when students arrive,” Janofa said.

Using grant money from the state to purchase 10 devices at $2,100 each, Janofa said four will be at different entrances at Poland Seminary High School, and each other school will have two.

The devices will be able to scan 2,400 people per hour.

Each morning, students will walk up to the scanner, which will take a student’s temperature with or without a mask, he said.

If the student does not have a temperature, a green check mark will show and the student can go on his or her way.

For students who are registering a temperature of the CDC-suggested 100.4, a red stop sign will show, and Janofa said that individual will go to a scanning station to see if the temperature is accurate. If after another reading there is still a temperature of 100.4, the student will have to go home.

Janofa said for the first couple of weeks, the process may take a bit of getting used to. As everyone gets familiar, the process should run smoothly and with efficiency.

The devices have a life beyond the pandemic, Janofa said.

Once the pandemic is over, the devices can be used to take attendance in the morning, as they have facial-recognition capabilities.

Janofa said the administration is encouraging parents to take their children’s temperatures before they get on the bus, or in the car on their way to school, to help keep sick kids home.

Currently, all student athletes and band students are having their temperature taken daily with a hand-held digital thermometer, he said.

The board of education is still looking at how the new school year will look.

Teachers will wear masks, but Janofa said that it hasn’t been decided if students will, although he is highly recommending students from third grade up through high school do so.

The board will meet virtually Monday for more discussion, Janofa said, and he encourages parents to join in.

Janofa is urging caution as COVID-19 cases spike in some areas of the state.

“We’re seeing trends that aren’t very good,” he said. “We don’t want to go so fast that we have to put out a plan and modify” several times, Janofa noted.

For parents and students not comfortable being in a traditional setting, online classes will be an option.

Teachers will be in the buildings all day.

Everything will be different, even lunch times, arrival and dismissal routines likely incorporating distancing.

afox@tribtoday.com