MARSHALL — Marshall middle school and high school students should be on track to return to class Jan. 11. However, classes will still be held on a hybrid model, Marshall Superintendent Jeremy Williams said.

Williams went over plans for older students to return to school at the Marshall School Board meeting Monday night. While MPS won’t have to change the date it planned for middle and high school students to return to hybrid learning, the district will need to make some adjustments to COVID-19 safety protocols to go along with new guidance from the Minnesota Department of Education.

“The governor’s update from last week threw a curveball at us,” Williams said. The new guidelines include rules on how many grade levels of students can return to in-person learning at a time in one school building, and coronavirus mitigation strategies like an option for regular COVID-19 testing for school staff and increased use of protective equipment. The mitigation efforts must be in place by Jan. 18.

Williams said MPS is continuing to work with the MDH to try and get students on the least restrictive learning models possible for the district.

Rising COVID-19 case numbers in the community, plus staffing issues caused by quarantines and a lack of available substitute teachers, sent MPS students into distance learning across the district earlier this fall.

Students in pre-K through fourth grade and at MATEC returned from distance learning to hybrid learning on Dec. 7. Middle and high school students are set to return to hybrid learning on Jan. 11. Williams said it made sense to keep that schedule to get older students back into the classroom.

Williams said the MDE is encouraging early childhood and younger elementary school students to return to in-person learning. MPS is proposing to start students in grades K-4 in hybrid learning after winter break, from Jan. 4-21. Around the change of the academic quarter, elementary students could make the shift to in-person learning, he said. Middle and high school students would shift from distance learning Jan 4-8 to hybrid learning mode starting Jan. 11.

Increased COVID-19 safety measures will also go into effect in January, Williams said. Those include requirements that staff members wear both masks and face shields at all times, and use clear plastic barriers when they cannot be six feet away from students. Face coverings also need to be worn during indoor physical activities.

Williams said the state will be providing MPS with COVID-19 saliva test kits for an optional staff testing program. Tests will be available to staff members every two weeks.

“That’s something that will start after break,” Williams said.