Harvest Time Academy will start school on August 10

There is one school in Vermilion Parish that still has plans to open on Aug. 10.
Harvest Time Christian Academy in Abbeville will be starting school earlier than any other school in the parish.
According to Michelle Rupert, the Harvest Time principal, the first date of school is Monday, Aug. 10.
Public schools in Vermilion Parish have a start-date of Aug. 27.
Harvest Time is a private school located on 103 Robert Wells Drive near Abbeville High School. It has been in existence for more than 30 years.
It has an enrollment of 120 students, which is K to 12th grade. Because of the student numbers, social distancing will not be a problem.
“Our small school setting, along with small class sizes will allow us to safely distance students and take the necessary precautions to keep students in a close to a normal school environment,” said Rupert. “The safety of our students and staff is a top priority. We are looking forward to having our students back on campus.”
The state education department released guidelines that schools must follow.
The education department guidelines recommend limiting group sizes to 10 if it has pulled back to phase one, 25 if in phase two and 50 in phase three. Younger students should be kept in static groups, the guidelines suggest, while the makeup of groups of older students who can maintain physical distance can change.
Students’ temperatures should be checked when they arrive on campus, and an area to isolate sick students until they can return home should be established, officials say. That room should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after the student leaves, and any “high-touch” service should be cleaned multiple times throughout the day.
School bus capacity under the guidelines would range from 25 to 75 percent, depending on the phase. Contact sports would not be permitted in the first two phases but would be in phase three within defined groups.
Face coverings are recommended for adults and students third grade and up, especially during arrival, dismissal, and class transitions. People with breathing problems should not wear masks, officials said.
Aug 4th there will be a meeting for parents only, starting at 6 p.m.
The first quarter will be from Aug. 10 to Oct. 1.