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Fisher reports no COVID post-Thanksgiving spike in school district

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

The Charles City School District was bracing itself for a flood of post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 cases — and the cases never came.

“We were prepared for a heavy spike in COVID cases, we were anticipating that,” Charles City Superintendent Mike Fisher said. “Actually, the opposite has happened.”

At Monday’s meeting, Fisher told the Charles City School District Board of Directors that the district has seen the numbers go down “tremendously,” and the student attendance rate has steadily improved.

“Our greatest hope right now is that numbers will keep falling and we can get back to full-time on-site learning next semester,” Fisher said. “I hope people are wise over the Christmas and New Year holiday break so we can do that.”

Charles City Community Schools had no new cases of COVID to report Monday. There are fewer than five total positive cases in the district at this time, with 34 individuals in quarantine due to close contact.

The student absentee rate was at 4.5% last Thursday, 4.47% on Friday and 4.3% on Monday. The rate had been well over 7% at one time. The rate of positive tests in Floyd County is currently at 14.7%.

Fisher said that in order to reopen the school district full-time, the community will need to record a positive test rate of under 10% for five consecutive days, while student absentee rates continue to drop.

“I hope we can do that, and return to full learning after Christmas break,” Fisher said.

The current numbers are under the level which the school district has deemed necessary to make the move to full remote learning. The two biggest metrics factored into the matrix to trigger the move to full remote learning include a county positivity rate of above 20% and a student absentee rate of 10% or higher. For now, the district is continuing with hybrid learning.

No known teachers or staff members were absent due to testing positive for COVID-19 Monday, and although there may have been some in quarantine, that number has decreased significantly since before Thanksgiving, when more than 25 staff members were absent, most of them due to a positive COVID-19 test or a quarantine.

“The beginning of the end is happening, but now is the time to remain vigilant,” Fisher said. “The vaccine is coming, but it will take some time, so I hope everyone continues to be wise, be smart and let’s keep our schools open.”

In other business Monday, the board approved a school online coaching agreement with Big Click Syndicate. Big Click submitted a proposal to the district to expand work in providing and improving the district’s School To You and digital classroom experience.

The proposal covers five months of coaching and ad-hoc email support, not to exceed $17,000. The training and consultation would involve the planning, production and delivery of digital remote learning and optimizing the district’s use of Google Classroom platforms. The services will be paid with COVID-19 funding.

“This is a good example of the school district spending this COVID funding money wisely, and I appreciate that,” said director Missy Freund. “I want to commend the staff for being smart with that funding.”

Also on Monday, after there were no written or oral comments from a public hearing, the board voted to approve a resolution to participate in the Instructional Support Program for a period of five years, commencing the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020, at an amount not to exceed 10% of the total regular program district cost to be used for any general fund purpose.

The board also adopted a resolution supporting the proposed issuance of approximately $8.9 million in school infrastructure sales, services and use tax revenue refunding bonds on Monday. After no oral or written public comment, the board voted to refinance the sales tax bonds issued in 2013 and 2015 to finance the middle school project. The bonds become callable in 2021, and savings from refinancing range from $359,379 to $557,041, depending upon the final interest rate.

The board also heard information regarding the Iowa Department of Transportation’s plans to repave and rework parts of Highway 18 that run through town. The project planned for summer 2021 will include work around Lincoln Elementary. The DOT is giving the road a facelift and installing new storm sewer intakes and upgrading sidewalks to meet current ADA code at the corner of F Street and Hwy 18. Contractors will be working in the existing right of way.

In other business Monday, the school board:
• Approved the resignation of Todd Forsyth from his activities director position as of Dec. 31 and issued a full-time teaching contract effective Jan. 1, 2021 for the remainder of the school year at a salary of $35,868.71.
• Heard and accepted the November 2020 financial reports as presented by Director of Finance Terri O’Brien.
• Approved the appointment of Moriah Mitchell, associated activities director, at a wage of $20.44 per hour, effective Jan. 4, 2020.
• Approved the resignation of Andie Olson, co-head volleyball coach, effective Dec. 14
• Approved the appointment of of Jenna Haglund, assistant speech coach, at a salary of $1,337, effective Dec. 14.
• Approved the appointment of Jesse White, 7th-grade boys basketball student supervisor, at a wage of $15 per hour, effective Dec. 14.
• Approved the appointment of Payton Reams, volunteer girls basketball coach, effective Dec. 7.
• Approved a memorandum of understanding with NIACC regarding the creation of a regional career academy.
• Approved the 2021 Iowa Drug and Alcohol Testing program fees for 2020-21 of $1265. This program is for random testing of 22 current drivers.
• Set the date for Monday, Jan, 11, 2021 at 6:15 p.m. in the Charles City High School Library for a public hearing regarding revisions to the 2020-21 school calendar.

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