Live Reporting of the Saline Board of Education Meeting, Aug. 11 2020

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The following is live reporting from the Saline Area Schools Aug. 11 Board of Education meeting.

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Admin report

Superintendent Graden expresses gratitude for staff and administration for their work helping the district prepare for the upcoming year.

Board report

  • Trustee McVey said he and other trustees attended an MASB workshop.
  • Trustee Estep said she was named to the MASB resolution and bylaws committee.
  • Trustee Austin thanked Graden, staff and administrators for the work they've done to navigate the uncertainty in planning for school.
  • President Pfannes said the district staff have done an "awesome job" answering the questions.

Preparedness and Response Plan

  • Carol Melcher and Nurse Hervey helped bring the document together.
  • The document is a compliance plan with the state orders.
  • The plan explains how the district will comply and make its best effort on equity - with IEPs, civil rights, special ed and more.
  • Saline is in phase 4, which doesn't allow in building programming.
  • The plan includes phase 4 safety protocols which include mask-wearing, discipline for not wearing masks, spacing (social distancing), guest policies, hygiene, protocols for symptomatic students, staff screening, student screening, etc.
  • Graden says they may not always have the ability to have six-foot spacing.
  • Policies are in accordance with health department guidelines.
  • Graden and Hervey are the district contacts with the health department.
  • SAS will use large spaces to maximize distancing at lunch. Meal times will be staggered. Food staff will use barrier protection/shields/masks.
  • Recess will be outside. No indoor assemblies of more than 50 students.
  • No field trips off-site that require bus transportation to an indoor location.
  • Athletics will happen in accordance with the roadmap.
  • State has described COVID dollars which the district may use for cleaning costs and training.
  • For medically vulnerable students and staff, the district will review plans to accommodate needs.
  • There is a full virtual option for high-risk students.
  • Staff will wear PPE when caring for ill students.
  • Where possible, high-risk staff will be accommodated.
  • The plan also describes what happens in phase five (laxer than phase four). Much language is from Gov. Whitmer's roadmaps. Athletics crowds could grow to 50 at a winter event, or 250 at an outdoor event, for example.
  • McVey question: Exceptions for student teachers? Graden said it's a good question. They could be substitutes if staffing is an issue. They would be eligible to enter the buildings.
  • McVey question: Families are to support symptoms. To the regular way? Graden said there is going to be a first-response plan. There could be medical tents outside exit points where a symptomatic student can comfortably wait for transport.
  • Valenti question: Do we have the flexibility to change if the state changes its plans. Graden: It depends. If the legislation is more flexible, we can move that way. Maskwearing, cohorting is key.
  • Valenti question: If we fall back to phase 3, can we go back to 100 percent virtual learning? Graden, yes. Staff members, to be prepared, need to make sure their virtual skills and tools are ready.
  • Valenti question: Is there a desired percentage of distant learners we need for in-person to work. Graden said that number is 20-25 percent.
  • Steben question: If a family selects in-person, why is the hybrid 2 weeks? Why not the rest of the trimester? Graden: One is our interest in phasing to provide real-world learning about protocols/spacing. Within two weeks, we will know whether or not we can move to an in-person model. We want our students in-person, with us, as much as safely possible. That's what we believe in. The majority feel that's what they are comfortable with.
  • Steben question: Students who want to change? Graden: We intend to provide in-person and virtual, throughout the year. The transition points are at the end of trimesters. Transition is feasible, but you may not keep your teachers/schedule. There will be give and take.
  • Steben question: How about traffic patterns in buildings? How about cleaning schedules? Graden: Bathrooms will be considered high-touch areas cleaned more frequency. More staff hours in the daytime to accommodate multi-clearning. Playground equipment will be cleaned more. Playgrounds are used during off-hours, so they will be cleaned in the mornings. The cleaning staff will be designed around the way staff/students use the buildings. On traffic patterns, we can design patterns now that we have some numbers.
  • Steben question: Custodial and substitute teacher staffing? Ellis: We have one opening on the custodial crew. Graden: We've had conversations about dedicated substitutes available to go into classrooms to provide support.
  • Steben question: What are we doing for our K-3 students? Graden: There is a clear mask teachers might be able to use to help some students. On supplies, the district is going to provide devices. The district is developing a virtual supply list for families. Teachers will help design what's going to happen.
  • Steben question: What about music and athletics? Graden: On music, we may need to look at it differently. We've provided instruments at the fifth-grade level. That requires travel. Does that make sense to keep offering instrumentation? We haven't determined what fifth grade looks like. The jury is out. On the other specials, we need instruction that doesn't require shared equipment/classroom sets. That means additional supply cost, time for staff to figure this out. On outdoor spaces and tents, are there ways to get outside to leverage outdoor spaces.
  • President Pfannes brings the meeting on track, saying the board is diving too deep on this issue. Asks for high-level questions on the preparedness and response plan.
  • Estep comment: The district says it's not complying with desk spacing. She's concerned about not complying with that in an in-person. If we're thinking when we go in-person, she doesn't see why we can't push back to phase five. Graden: We need to be honest in our assessments. In phase four, it's strongly recommended, not required.  Design of the space and flow are areas we need more feedback on.
  • Estep question: Are there going to be assemblies? Graden: The state recommended virtual assemblies.
  • Hynek question: Will we develop protocols as we go through? Graden: Our connected learning planning is a breathing document that will change. We are committed to doing what we say in this plan. Our ability to do in-person is held in our own hands. If we want to make sure we do in-person. It's up to us. We know masks work. Social distancing is important. When we talk about what's feasible, we're committed to what's feasible. If we do what's in this plan, we can have success.
  • Austin comment: On family screening, I want the community to know, that should be highly recommended for families to check the temperatures of their students every day. Graden: Staying home when you are sick is going to go from a good idea to a critical idea. We implore families and staff to stay home when they are sick.
  • Steben question: Is the 44-page plan going to be available to the public? Graden: Yes. It will be posted by Aug. 17.
  • Estep asks to move the vote behind the student-staff survey discussion later on the vote. Graden: The results of the survey fit with what we are doing.
  • Estep said she feels like there's a connection between the survey and the preparedness plan.
  • Phannes calls the question. Motion carries 6-1, Estep voting no.

Online vs In-Person Study

  • Survey conducted Aug. 6-9
  • 80 percent response.
  • 650 students at SHS want to be virtual. 1200 want in person.
  • Mostly about 30 percent want virtual, slightly higher than Graden anticipated.
  • Staff response was more varied, but more staff wanted in-person than virtual.
  • Does it mean we have 30 percent of students and 30 percent of staff want virtual, is everything great? It's not that easy, Graden said, but we can be comfortable with how it looks.
  • Transportation. The reality is, we're going to drive all over the district, but fewer will take buses.
  • 84 percent of the students have a device they do not need to share. Another four percent plan to buy one. Bond money can be used.
  • 99 percent have high-speed internet access. Graden wonders if some who didn't answer the survey don't have internet access.
  • It's starting to feel like we're going through things in the normal way and eliminating unknowns.
  • Aug. 27 they will share teacher placement.
  • Some teachers have made transfer requests we will fulfill soon.
  • Austin question: Some schools had more teachers chose more virtual. Are you going to move teachers around to fill the gaps? Graden: We will try to fulfill as many requests as possible. We are going to have blended classes at the virtual level to maximize assignments. You're not a Woodland Meadows teacher, you're a virtual teacher.
  • Estep question: What's the date for the next round of surveys, to revisit whether they want to continue in-person or online? Graden: It would be two to three weeks before Thanksgiving. We have not established those timelines yet. 
  • Estep question: The K-12 insight survey didn't go to all parents. Some of that was, it went to one parent and not both. Graden: We accommodated a lot of the problems we were told about. We were committed to making sure we touched base with every family. 
  • Hynek question: With the transportation numbers, do we need to expand the walk zones? Graden: We will. It will drive down ridership. We are struggling to have enough drivers. The zone is a mile right now. We're talking a mile and a half.
  • Steben comment: Thank you for giving everyone choice. 
  • Steben question: When will you verify with families they will not receive the bus. Graden: Between now and Aug. 24.
  • Steben question: There are 20 percent who didn't respond. What will be done with the others? Graden: We are working out from a building-level standpoint.  They will send out emails to families. We've had families say they are unrolling. 

Hornet Homeroom

  • Offered during the first three weeks when school is virtual.
  • Cost is $50/day. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Before and after care is available at additional charges.
  • Locations are Heritage, Woodland Meadows, Pleasant Ridge and Harvest.
  • Hornet Homeroom will follow Saline Schools COVID-19 safety protocols.
  • It will be up and running by this Friday.
  • Offered through Community Ed.
  • Estep question: How much for before and after care cost? Puffer: An extra $20.
  • Pfannes question: Will it be offered during the hybrid period? Puffer: We are looking at that.

Summer Camp

  • Summer camp has been at Pleasant Ridge, Puffer said.
  • It's averaged 43 students a day.
  • Our last day is Aug. 20 but we are adding an extra week, Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 in all the elementary schools. Registration begins Friday.
  • Puffer said the staff did an excellent job, especially considering the fear going into the camp.
  • Austin comment: It was nice to have the extra week because parents were concerned about child care when the district decided to go back to school a week later.

Budget Update

  • Graden said there's not a lot to catch up on. The budget committee meets Aug. 24. It's important to provide an update.
  • With state aid borrowing. Last year borrowed $9.1M. This year borrowed $9.9M. It's costing us $63,000 to borrow $9.9M. We applaud Miranda Owsley (assistant superintendent for finance) for that.

Title IX Policy Update

  • Federal changes will be implemented this month, said Estep. There will be a discussion on draft proposals Aug. 25. 
  • Austin asked when we'll see a draft of the policy.

Consent Agenda

  • Erin Farmer resigned at Heritage Elementary. Patti Waltz is retiring from as the Superintendent's secretary. Meg McClure and Katie Spencer were hired as special education teachers at Saline High School. Beth Renner was hired as the Saline Middle School secretary.

Public Comment

  • None.

Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.

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