‘A sensible middle’

Unless there is a spike in local coronavirus cases, Jay Schools superintendent Jeremy Gulley will recommend that schools reopen on Aug. 12.

A decision will be made by the Jay School Board at its July 20 meeting.

“My recommendation next month is to reopen schools and get these kids back,” Gulley told the board Monday.

“Remember,” said Gulley, “we have only had the state guidelines for 10 days. Ten days.” He added, “State guidance is just that, just guidance.”

Any decision, he said, will be based upon medical advice, feasibility and what parents find to be acceptable.

An initial survey on school responses to COVID-19 went out in late May and another survey of parents and school employees will go out this week.

An Aug. 12 reopening of schools would involve 100% of students but would also involve an extensive program of mitigation to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

A contingency plan would involve a Sept. 2 reopening at a 50% level with individual students essentially attending half the time.

“We now assess that (the contingency date) as a low probability,” said Gulley.

But ultimately the decision will be driven by the local spread of the virus.

Currently, Jay County Health Department environmentalist and administrator Heath Butz told the school board the county has recorded 62 confirmed cases of COVID-19. All of those, said Butz, were among the high-risk population, those over 65 and those with underlying health issues.

“Over 80% of our cases have been cleared from isolation,” said Butz. “The majority of these individuals are recovering.”

Very few of the local cases have involved those in the 0 to 19 age demographic, Gulley noted.

“The actual impact … when you weigh it against another school year … that data is not sufficient to keep our kids out of school.”

Under a heightened mitigation program with schools reopening, several steps would be taken:

•Students would self-screen for any symptoms.

•”There will be lots of hand-washing,” said Gulley.

•Cleaning and sanitizing of school surfaces will be increased.

•There will be an effort to keep students within their cohort groups, not only to reduce the chance of transmission but also to make it easier to track contacts. With effective contact tracing, complete school closures may be avoided. Management of cohort groups could also involve such things as assigned seating in lunchrooms and on school buses.

•There will be an effort to maximize distance as much as feasible.

•Large groupings of students will be avoided.

•Masks will be encouraged but not required. “We need to support those who choose to wear them,” said Gulley.

There will also be strict rules for returning to school after a student has been ill or has tested positive for COVID-19.

It is, said Gulley, an attempt to find “a sensible middle.”

“That’s the theory. That’s the strategy. That’s the advice,” he said. “If we were to comply with CDC guidance, we’d never open a school. It’s not feasible.”

The survey being sent to school corporation employees is an attempt to measure their concerns and fears about schools reopening.

“If you’re worried about your health, we need to know that,” said Gulley.

While the school reopening decision is set for next month, board members unanimously agreed Monday to reopen summer activity programs for athletics and band.

Those programs will restart July 6 but under virus mitigation plans similar to those outlined for the start of school.

Gulley’s efforts in the face of the pandemic drew praise from board president Phil Ford.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone work as hard and as transparently,” said Ford. “He’s faced a lot of major decisions. … I believe we are very fortunate. We are way ahead of most corporations.”

Retiring Jay County High School drama teacher Carol Gebert had praise for the board as well. “Thank you, Jay Schools and Jay County, for keeping our students safe. … I’m so proud of this school corporation for taking the safe way,” she said.

In other business, the board:

•Appointed technology coach Katie Clark as director of e-learning on a two-year, 260-day contract beginning July 1.

•Honored longtime employees who retired at the end of the school year.

•Transferred Shannon Current from her role in payroll to deputy treasurer, Amy Reinhart from her role in accounts payable to payroll, Irene Taylor from her position as junior high secretary to accounts payable and Nancy Snyder from school nurse to head school nurse at Jay County Junior-Senior High School.

•Approved the retirement of deputy treasurer Violet Current.

•Accepted the resignations of instructional assistant Donna Glassford and agriculture teacher Brittany Kloer.

•Approved a contract for health services with Nancy Berry.

•Tabled contracts for occupational services with Hillside Therapy Services and Signature Therapy Services.

•Approved extracurricular assignments for Betty Harris as Just Say No Sponsor at Redkey Elementary School, Jenny Outcalt as yearbook sponsor at Redkey, Lauren Hemmelgarn as student council sponsor at Redkey, Amy Dillon as high school head volleyball coach, Giles Laux as student council sponsor at Bloomfield Elementary School, Mindy Weaver as head cheer coach and competition cheer coach at the high school, Lindsey Peterson as assistant cheer coach and competition cheer coach at the high school, Lisa Wood as half-sponsor of the Health Occupation Students of America at the high school, Jean Ann Poole as half-sponsor of the Health Occupation Students of America at the high school, Katie Clark as assistant sponsor of student council at the high school, Krista Wellman as student council sponsor at the high school, Doug Arbuckle as assistant boys’ basketball coach at the high school, Kristi Pryor as assistant cheer coach and competition cheer coach at the high school, Shannon Current as junior high volleyball coach, Dustin Guggenbiller as assistant high school football coach, Joseph Missicano as high school softball coach, Cindy Grile as Just Say No sponsor at General Shanks Elementary School, Ava Kahlig as assistant volleyball coach at the high school, Emilie Garringer as high school guard instructor, and Jennifer Crum as assistant band director at the high school.

•Accepted the extracurricular resignations of Krista Wellman as assistant student council sponsor at the high school, Katie Clark as student council sponsor at the high school, Bill Saxman as assistant football coach, Todd Farr as eighth grade football coach, Rodney Craig as half-time archery coach at West Jay Middle School, Amy Dillon as eighth grade volleyball coach, Jennifer Crum as half-time archery coach, and Tami Tillman as middle school art club sponsor.

•Approved a bus use request by The Rock Church.

•Accepted a $1,500 grant fromaHelp Feed School Kids Now! and a $5,000 COVID-19 Rapid Recovery grant from Tyson Foods Inc.

•Approved a resolution for the suspension of school board policies during the COVID-19 pandemic as recommended by the Indiana Department of Education.

•Set school lunch prices for the coming year. Student breakfasts will be $2.20, and 30 cents to students on the reduced lunch program. Lunch will be $2.85 at elementaries, $3.10 at the junior-senior high school, and 40 cents for those on the reduced lunch program. Milk will be 40 cents. Adult breakfasts will be $2.55, and adult lunches will be $3.65.

•Adopted textbooks for family and consumer science, business, English and language arts for the high school.

•Approved a resolution in honor of Heather Maitlen for her 14 years of service to the Kids Hope mentoring program. Maitlen is retiring from her leadership role with the group.

•Agreed to purchase an Explorer Dome piece of playground equipment for East Jay Elementary School from Recreation Insites at a cost of $57,321.18.