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The Warren County School District is sticking to its plan of not requiring masks in school, but it is ready to act if the need arises.
Superintendent Amy Stewart said other districts are formalizing language that would automatically enact mask requirements and closures based on certain events.
Not wanting to lock into any drastic action before it has all the facts, the district is not going there.
"(Solicitor) Chris (Byham) has helped us craft some language," Stewart said, that gives the district more flexibility.
The board approved moving forward with a health and safety plan that is very much the same as the previous plan, with the addition of some language clarifying the rules on buses, according to Stewart.
Stewart said the board could meet at any time to discuss implementing changes if the need arises.
"If we are concerned about community spread, we could hold a meeting," she said. "We'll bring the facts to the table and hold a discussion… at that time."
She said she is confident the board would meet "tomorrow" if needed.
"We don't want to attach any specific label to any situation in isolation," Stewart said.
The district remains under federal guidelines requiring masks on buses and vans.
Stewart has started recording and publishing informational videos to the district website - www.wcsdpa.org - to help people stay up-to-date.
Internet
The district is looking for more teachers and better internet.
After two school years in which the amount of work handled online and outside of district buildings vastly increased, the district hopes to see some dollars coming in to beef up local broadband.
The Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program through the Federal Communications Commission may be just the ticket.
Stewart introduced the ECF.
"This is a $7 billion pot of money," Stewart said. "This has huge potential to improve our county. This has the potential to put miles and miles of fiber in our county."
Two vendors have gotten back to the district showing interest in building out fiber to areas that are not already served, she said.
In addition to improving broadband access through infrastructure improvement, grant dollars could be used to purchase more equipment, including hotspots, for student use.
PERSONNEL
"A lot of our time and energy has been spent on staffing since the last meeting," Stewart said.
"At this time, we have 12 professional positions to fill," Director of Administrative Support Services Gary Weber said. "A number of interviews were taking place today and this week."
Some positions have been difficult to fill with a certificated teacher, Spanish, for instance, and the district is prepared to hire some long-term substitutes.
Some positions will be filled by candidates who are not certificated, but who will be working toward teaching certificates, according to administrators.
Although certification is preferred, there are times when the district does not hire an applicant who has the desired certification.
"Just because someone is certificated doesn't mean we have to hire them," Stewart said. "We have a lot of avenues to get people certificated."
"I remain concerned about the number of people we're hiring that are not certificated," board member Mary Passinger said. "I know we can't avoid it. Where we can get good, certificated people we will, and we will support those who are getting certificated."
First day
The district is set to open in-person with the first day for students being Tuesday, Aug. 31.
Registration for the Virtual Academy is open.
"It's important that folks register online," Stewart said. "We are assuming that everyone is coming to brick-and-mortar school unless they have registered."
Virtual Academy orientation is scheduled for the week of Aug. 16.
The districts buildings are opening up for open houses.
The newly-renovated Warren County Career Center is in the midst of ongoing open houses as various groups ask administration for a look.
"We have a lot of folks coming to us and asking us if they can come and see that new facility," Stewart said. "We continue to get positive reviews."