Weathering the pandemic in north Iowa as cases rise, kids return to school

Are leaders worried heading back to school could make Covid-19 cases climb?

Case still active.

We've been seeing coronavirus cases continue to climb in cerro gordo county ?

"* which my be making some parents nervous about sending their kids back to school.

Kimt news 3's nick kruszalnicki has the latest word from local leaders.

He joins us live from mason city.

Nick?

George and katie ?

"* most kids here in mason city will be going back into the classroom on august 24th, although some students will be learning from home.

Both the school district and the city of mason city are hoping the fall semester doesn't add more cases to the climbing totals.

Xxx "although i don't have the authority to mandate the wearing of masks at other public places.

I'm asking all residents to wear masks in all other locations when possible in mason city."

Mayor bill schickel ?

"* making the call fr residents of the river city to fight the pandemic by masking up.

When it comes to instituting a city?

"*wide mask mandate, the mayor says his hands are tied.

"we have limited capacity on what we can impose.

We have looked at some other options.

No other decisions have been made on those at this time."

With case counts continuing to rise as we approach the start of school ?

"* there is some worry about welcoming students back to the classroom.

Mason city school superintenden t dave versteeg says his educators are ready for the challenge.

"they are really all committed to doing the right thing for students and we really are trying to treat them like front?

"*line workers in this epidemic and they will rise to the occasion and they will do an excellent job."

He also says planning for the school year during a pandemic is a lot like a winter weather event ?

"* the only difference being they don't know how long this is going to last or what could happen.

"the hard part for this one too is where we've been through it enough where we have plans and know what we're going to do, but this situation, we literally have nothing and superintenden t versteeg also said about 30 percent of the district has expressed interest in doing online?

"* ony learning in the upcoming school year.

Live in mason city, nick kruszalnicki, kimt news