Teachers, parents and administrators so far – knock on wood – have worked well together to formulate plans getting kids back to Minot public schools this fall.

While there is still a lot to learn and decide, last week the school board signed off on an agreement that allows teachers to bank hours for other teachers to use instead of their own sick or vacation days should they come down with COVID-19. That could prove to be a very valuable program once school begins in earnest resulting in personal interaction.

Another positive was the group of parents petitioning the schools to push back opening day, now set for Aug. 27.

As of last Tuesday 170 signatures were on the petition – a sign that, one, parents take their children’s health seriously, and two, that disagreement doesn’t have to be confrontational or ugly.

We see enough of that behavior in other parts of the country.

Still, time will tell what kind of additional and perhaps controversial measures Minot Public Schools will have to take; the school board, as well, puts student and teacher safety on a high plain. School board members, more than anyone, are accountable for the final plans and the success of those plans.

That aside, we are very pleased with the cooperation and level-headedness that has been evident in all parties concerned. It’s been nothing short of A+ behavior.