By Wanda Hanson
In an effort for consistency, the Houston School Board approved the school opening plan presented by Superintendent Abraham at their August 6, 2020, meeting. Board member Michaeleen Bonner voted against the approval. Students will have a hybrid model in which all students will attend school Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. The 50% room capacity numbers per the fire department will allow all students to be on site. Wednesdays, the high school students will do online learning with 27-minute classes in the morning; the elementary will attend school in person in the morning. Teachers will have time Wednesday afternoons to plan and contact students who are struggling.
Bonner asked if the committee considered any other factors than the number of cases in the county as they made their decision. Abraham answered that they had indeed. The Houston County case numbers alone would allow the school to open as “normal,” but the neighboring counties have higher numbers and the committee was concerned that it would become necessary to change scenarios if cases increased.
Abraham noted, “Consistency is very important; we might be able to stay with this scenario for the year.”
Parents have been surveyed and have overwhelmingly wanted their students back at school. Students ages five and up will be required to wear masks. Students who don’t want to wear masks will be distance learning.
Board member Mimi Carlson noted, “People need to be prepared for distance learning as well.” If numbers of cases in the area increase, there may be a need to have all students do distance learning. It was noted that some families seeking consistency might choose to begin the year with distance learning.
Distance learning this fall will not look like it did in the spring. Teachers will be live streaming their classes and students are expected to attend either in person or virtually.
Families will be called beginning August 10 and asked if their children will be riding the bus and whether they have any internet accessibility needs. Staff needs for internet will also be assessed. New funding called CRF connected to the governor’s new mandates could be used for those purposes. Chairman Tom Stilin stressed that a plan for internet accessibility for all needs to be in place before school begins.
Elementary teachers will be getting Dell laptops with cameras and docking stations to ease working from home. Elementary Chromebooks will get protective cases; insurance coverage for devices will be available to all students.
A regional support team for Covid will be housed at the Southeast Services Cooperative in Rochester. This team will help make decisions regarding quarantine, etc. when/if Covid appears in the school. Superintendent Abraham will meet with the school contact and receive more information August 24. Covid tests will be available for teachers. This will consist of a saliva test with results in 48 hours. SSC will distribute the masks earmarked for the students and staff by the state.
Parent information sessions will be included in back to school sessions. Elementary teachers will be sending out letters to their students with supply lists included. Several resources are available under the Covid tab on the school’s website to help parents as they plan for the year.
With the MSHSL decision to move football and volleyball to spring and shorten the seasons, the board decided to make some changes to sports fees. Since soccer and cross country are cleared for a full season, the fees will be $60 for junior high and $70 for high school. Other sports will have 25% of the regular fee at the beginning of the season with the rest of the fee to be paid at the end of a complete season. There may be a reduction in the fee since some seasons will be abbreviated. There will be no season passes offered to the public this year. Physicals for athletes will be waived if the athlete has a previous one on file; seventh graders will still need to have one. Coaches will have a revised contract which states they will be paid for the amount of the season completed.
In other action the board:
•Set the Truth in Taxation meeting for the December 3 board meeting
•Approved paving of the bus barn apron and the teacher parking lot
•Approved elementary scoreboard repair
•Replaced a damaged batting cage
•Approved handbooks for all schools as well as crisis plans
•Accepted a donation from the American Legion for Covid purchases
•Heard that MNVA (Minnesota Virtual Academy) enrollment was up 455 over last year’s numbers and is expected to rise as families make decisions about the year
•Approved contacts with Kristin Kastenschmidt, HES/HHS visual arts; Kirsten Morgan, MNVA English; Niki Rosenberg, HES special education
Leave a Reply