GC school board discusses "Return to Learn" plans

GRUNDY CENTER- The Grundy Center school board went over plans to resume learning in the fall during a meeting conducted via Zoom last Wednesday.

“I have to again compliment the staff and all their hard work in developing the return to learn plan,” Superintendent Robert Hughes said. “We feel good about where we are.”

Although in-person classes have been shut down since late March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff and administrators have already begun to plan for the 2020-2021 school year with the understanding that it could come in the form of online learning, hybrid or fully in-person classes. The first day of school is tentatively scheduled for August 19.

“It’s coming. It feels like August is going to be here tomorrow, but we’re planning and getting ready,” high school principal Michael Vokes said.

Stacy Ascher, who coordinates internship and job shadow programs for Cedar Valley West, provided an update on the future of those opportunities in the post-COVID landscape, specifically noting that health care internships or shadows would probably not be available for some time. She expressed hope, however, that they would resume their partnership in the future.

“During this, we’ll just have to respect them,” Ascher said.

Board member Steven Martens, who works for NuCara Pharmacy, told Ascher the company would be happy to partner with Cedar Valley West in the future. The board eventually voted unanimously to approve the list of business partners for the upcoming school year.

The board later discussed plans for Saturday night’s commencement ceremony, which was originally scheduled to be held outdoors at the football stadium but was moved inside to the gym due to the weather forecast.

Hughes explained that the district’s top legislative priorities for 2020-2021 include increasing preschool to a full day, supporting mental health funding, school funding and sharing and reorganization, with an emphasis on operational sharing incentives.

IN OTHER BUSINESS, the board:

·      Approved the certified and classified staff handbooks for 2020-2021.

·      Approved the property and casualty insurance at a premium of $104,298.

·      Approved the fundraiser requests for 2020-2021 school year.

·      Approved the teacher salary schedule with a base salary of $38,000.

·      Approved the ISG agreement for future facility strategic planning.

·      Approved hiring Kerri Lynch as the cross-country coach and Erica Nelson as the middle and high school social studies teacher.

·      Accepted the resignations of Amber Greiman as the Ag Science/FFA teacher and Anthony Harrington as middle and high school social studies teacher.

·      Approved compensation for essential workers during the June Grab-n-Go meals.