As Warwick’s public schools aim for a hybrid reopening of in-person classes and remote learning, Bishop Hendricken High School is prepared to go full steam ahead with in-person school, albeit with some changes for health and safety with full classes starting Sept. 8.

The all-boys Catholic school crafted four reopening scenarios, much like its public school peers: a full reopening, completely virtual classes, a hybrid model in which students alternate between online and in-person classes, sorted by last name and a hybrid model identical to the previous one, except students are separated by grade levels instead.

According to Michele King, Bishop Hendricken’s communications and marketing director, a community survey showed that 59 percent of parents want the school to fully reopen this fall, 34.3 percent wish for a hybrid model and 9.9 percent want all classes to be online. Students were a bit more cautious: 50 percent wanted the school to fully reopen, 30.3 desired a hybrid model and 14.9 percent would rather follow a fully virtual model.

The strong support for in-person classes combined with optimism in the school’s ability to prevent an outbreak allowed the school to plan for an in-person opening. If the school does open its doors in any capacity, parents can opt to have their sons take all of their classes virtually instead, but still have to pay full tuition. Because of this, all classes will have a permanent Zoom link for remote students, as well as students who stay home from school due to illness.

As a private school, Hendricken is not required to follow Rhode Island Department of Health recommendations, but King said Hendricken plans to follow them. Private schools also had to craft plans for multiple reopening scenarios.

“Whatever protocols are mandated by the Department of Health, we want to stay with that,” King said. So that is one of the main things in consideration, and we’re fully prepared to have to make adjustments as we go, so if we have to change course, we have those plans in place.”

This doesn’t mean that the school will operate as it did pre-COVID-19. All grade levels will be assigned to its own wing of the school building in order to prevent grade level mixing whenever possible. Students will travel from room to room within their wing for classes, while teachers may have to travel across wings. Mixed grade level classes will only occur when necessary, and will be located in the wing where the majority of the class’s students are based, with students of other grades in the class traveling to the different wing. This would allow students to stay in stable groups whenever possible to prevent having to close the entire school if someone catches the virus, instead allowing for only a wing to close.

Before leaving home, students, staff and faculty will be asked to self-assess themselves for COVID-19 symptoms or risk factors. If someone reports any of the symptoms, they will be required to stay home. When arriving at school, students, faculty and staff will be scanned with contactless thermometers, and if they have a fever, they must return home. Anyone staying home is required to request a COVID-19 test and test negative before returning to school.

Class schedules will be held as usual, and the INSPIRE program, which was set to begin this year by having every student attend specialized seminars instead of regular classes on Wednesdays, has been postponed until further notice.

Students will eat lunch in the classroom, with those wishing to buy cafeteria lunch required to place an order via mobile app between 3 p.m. of the day before and 7 a.m. the morning of. One individual per classroom will be assigned to pick up everyone in their classroom’s bagged orders.

No more than two people will be allowed in bathrooms at a time, and students will need to use bathrooms in their assigned wing.

All students, faculty and staff will be required to wear a face mask or covering, and the dress code has been slightly relaxed so students do not need to wear ties or jackets. Desks will be distanced as much as physically possible, every student will have an assigned seat in their classes and lockers will not be used. Surfaces will also frequently be cleaned and disinfected, and the school will use equipment like GenEon electrostatic sprayers and PuraShield air scrubbers to filter air.

In order to prevent frequent use of high-contact surfaces like paper and sharing technology, every student will be required to bring their own device. Students who do not have their own device that is at least 8 inches tall and able to connect to the Internet may be able to borrow one from the school.

“We have a limited amount [of devices], but last semester everyone was ok,” King said. “They think they’ll be able to do it again. If it does run out, they will do what they can to have everyone accounted for.”

King said that transportation was one of the greatest challenges the school had to plan for. The school urged students and parents to make alternative transportation arrangements, such as driving a car or walking to school, if possible. Students can see if their town offers a public bus transportation program for free, or take an Ocean State Transit Co. Bus for a fee.

Bishop Hendricken is awaiting Rhode Island Interscholastic League guidance regarding the future of fall sports. Regarding other after school activities such as clubs and ministry, the school’s official plan outline read that they will implement “as [many] as possible.” Leadership and Arts Academies will continue in large spaces where students are socially distanced.

King did not reveal how much any of the school’s reopening measures will cost.