Board of Education meets, discusses possible surge in cases due to holiday gatherings
Superintendent Ron Wilson discusses the district’s plan for school. All classes will remain in-person unless there is a shortage of substitute teachers or if the number of cases reaches 2 percent of the building population.
USD 489 Board of Education met on Nov. 23.
After approval of the agenda, superintendent Ron Wilson discussed COVID numbers in the district.
“I know you hear about other schools across the state going remote, and I’m not being critical, I’m not saying they’re not doing the right thing,” Wilson said. “They’re doing what they think is best for their situation, but at this point, we have the desire to really keep our students onsite.”
However, Wilson said he recognizes that things might change if the number of positive cases reaches the level designated in the district gaiting criteria.
“If we can keep kids in school and keep everything safe and everyone healthy, we’re going to try and do that,” Wilson said. “Now, if numbers come back and start to go crazy and we can’t staff or above the 1.5 or 2 percent of the building population positive, then we will not be in person.”
Wilson emphasized the role of substitute teachers in keeping schools open.
“Our ability to fill sub roles is really the key to everything,” Wilson said.
According to Wilson, quarantining due to school contact has helped keep case numbers at bay.
“I’ve heard a lot of positive about the board’s ability to reason through the quarantine and reduce it to seven days,” Wilson said. “This is beneficial for students, beneficial for staff, beneficial for families, and we’re still not seeing any cases from those students who have quarantined.”
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Alicia Feyerherm is a senior, and this is her fourth year in Newspaper. She is very honored and excited to be in the role of Editor-in-Chief this year....
