The Monday night meeting of the Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Board of Education was again dominated by COVID-19 related discussion as the group was walked through an updated Return to Learn plan. Superintendent Joe Nelson explained that because the situation is so fluid the plan has undergone updates and additions.
At present, school is still scheduled to start August 24. Some parts of the plan are familiar by now, including the fact that PPE will be required for all students and staff. Masks and assigned seating will be mandated on all school transportation. Handwashing will be practiced multiple times a day in all buildings. Social distancing will be practiced at the highest extent possible. Nelson added that the elementary and middle schools recently purchased more lunch tables to help with this and that high schoolers may be allowed to eat outside.
One area that the current plan lays out in more detail is what will happen if a student or staff member is suspected of having COVID. The plan says: “If a student or staff member begins to exhibit COVID-19 symptoms during the school day, they will be sent home for testing and isolation. They will not be allowed to return until COVID results have been received or a 14-day isolation period has been completed.” Nelson also emphasized that people in “close contact” (within 6 ft for 15 minutes) to the person with symptoms will also be sent home to isolate. New guidance adds that will include people even if they have been wearing PPE. Nelson said, “This is just something we’re going to end up dealing with and we need to be prepared.”
Other parts of the newest Return to Learn plan note that online learning is an option but it will be mandatory, and attendance will be taken. Nelson added that to date, only 16 students have opted for online learning out of the district’s roughly 1000 students. The superintendent again emphasized that all plans are subject to change in the upcoming weeks.
(Check the Q&A column on page 2 in the Monitor in the upcoming weeks for continued information on the district’s Return to Learn steps.)
In the open forum part of the meeting, Clarion citizen Shannon Walker spoke to the board via Zoom. She noted that she does not feel that it is safe to put kids back in school. She especially expressed concerns for teachers who don’t have a choice to come back to work but are scared to voice that. Walker encouraged the board to keep exploring alternatives to keep kids and staff safe.
In other board business:
-In staffing changes, the board approved the resignation of Elem Para Kelsey Burres. The board okayed the hiring of a tech assistant position to help with technology issues so Kevin Katz can handle more data reporting for the district.
-In schedule adjustments, the board approved a change in early dismissal time from 2 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesdays and before holiday breaks. This will give teachers and other staff extra time to connect with those students doing remote learning and to teamwork before professional development. Late start times also changed from 90 minutes to 2 hours.
-The board declined to sell school property around 1003 and 1015 3rd Ave NE to NIck and Elizabeth McOllough as Nelson noted they will be using the area for outdoor PE in the upcoming months.
