Even though Grass Valley School District is starting school online, there is one school in town that is starting school with students in the classroom. Mount Saint Mary’s Academy, a private catholic school, is starting school with students on campus in August. Principal Edee Wood says since the county is not on the Governor’s watchlist, schools can open if they have a reopening plan in place. Becasue Mt. St Mary’s is a small self-contained school, it has been working on the plan since schools closed last Spring.

The only recent change was to update the mask requirements for students in grades three though eight.
Wood is meeting with Public Health officials to review the plan, but does not anticipate any surprises. She says the plan focuses on community health and safety.

The principals says that the school is blessed with large classrooms and small class sizes., the perfect combination for social distancing.

Wood says that school’s philosophy includes small class sizes to encourage learning and community, so she does not anticpate a large influx of new students from families that want to send chidren to school. However, there is a wait list at some grade levels. The school also offers a distance education option for families that want to remain in the Mt. Saint Mary’s community, but do not want to attend face-to-face instruction.
Currently there are 160 students enrolled at Mt. Saint Mary’s in Transitional Kindergarten through eighth grade.