Las Cruces Public Schools reviewing state guidelines for classroom return in fall

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- The Las Cruces Public Schools district now has a better idea of what things will be looking like when they re-convene for classes next months.

LCPS administrators were relieved to receive official guidelines from the state education department last week.

They were even happier to discover that they were already on, if not ahead of the curve, on many of the most important aspects of those back to school Covid-19 safety guidelines.

“We anticipated that we would have a reduced capacity directive from the state so we put a plan together that addresses remote learning and a hybrid model that would bring students in on an aggregate schedule,” said LCPS spokeswoman Kelly Jameson.

However, there’re still some pressing questions that will have to be filled in over the next few weeks.

“The challenging part about this plan is determining how we are going to be providing meal services to those students who will be learning remotely as part of their schedule and also the transportation configuration.”

Taken together these guidelines are being called 'Year Zero' for a new normal at LCPS and what will be difficult for academics may well be impossible for extra curriculars.

“Pep rallies and assemblies are discouraged and we understand that.”

Per those guidelines, LCPS is currently looking to re-convene classes on Aug. 12.