Millard Public Schools balances safety and teacher workload

Millard Public Schools balances safety and teacher workload

PANDEMIC IS IMPACTINGAREA STUDENTS, BUTWHAT ABOUTTEACHERS?

MILLARDPUBLIC SCHOOLS ISWORKING ON WAYS TOHELP THEIR STAFFNAVIGATE THESTRESSES THAT COMEWITH TEACHING IN THEAGE OF COVID-19.REPORTER KENTLUETZEN HAS MOREFROM THE DISTRICT'SSCHOOL BOARDMEETING."LABORING ON LABORDAY IS WHAT ABOUT 80TO 90 PERCENT OF OURTEACHER DID AT SOMEPOINT THIS WEEKEND,"MILLARD PUBLICSCHOOLS IS REPORTINGJUST SIX ACTIVECOVID-19 CASES, WITH43 STUDENTS ANDSTAFF IN QUARANTINE.THE SCHOOL BOARDLOOKS AT THESENUMBERS AS A WIN,ACCORDING TOTREASURER AMANDAMCGILL.AMANDA MCGILL,SCHOOL BOARDTREASURER: "WHILE I'MVERY PLEASED BY THELACK OF SPREAD INOUR BUILDINGS, I KNOWTHOSE NUMBERSWOULDN'T BE WHATTHEY ARE IF IT WERENOT FOR TEACHERS."VICE PRESIDENT DAVEANDERSON SAYS HE ISHAPPY THE DISTRICTCHOSE TO GIVEFAMILIES THE OPTIONOF LEARNING INPERSON OR REMOTELY,BUT QUESTIONS THEIMPACT IT HAS ONSTAFF.DAVEANDERSON/SCHOOLBOARD VICE PRESIDENT:"I DON'T KNOW HOWWELL THAT WORKS TOTHE POINT OF KEEPINGKIDS ENGAGED INFRONT OF YOU AT THESAME TIME OF KEEPINGKIDS ENGAGED ATHOME." TO HELPTEACHERS NAVIGATETHESE CHANGES INEDUCATING AND NEWSTRESSES, THE SCHOOLDISTRICT ANNOUNCEDAT THEIR TUESDAYNIGHT SCHOOL BOARDMEETING THAT THEYWOULD BE BUILDING IN3 ADDITIONAL "TEACHERWORK" DAYS IN THECALENDAR.THE SCHOOL BOARDALSO ANNOUNCED ALLPARENT TEACHERCONFERENCES WILL BEONLINE THIS YEAR TOPREVENT TEACHERSFROM CATCHING THEVIRUS, L3: UNKOWN"TEACHERS ARE HUMAN.THEY HAVE FAMILY ATHOME.THEY HAVERESPONSIBILITIES ANDTHEY ARE BEINGSTRECHED OUT THIN."THE DISTRICT SAYSTHEY CANNOT AFFORDTO HAVE TEACHERS OUTSICK, EVEN CHANGINGGUIDELINES FOR STAFFMEMBERS THAT COMEINTO CLOSE CONTACTWITH SOMEONE WHOHAS TESTED POSITIVE.THEY NO LONGER HAVETO QUARANTINE.THE SCHOOL BOARDSAYS THEY CONTINUETO PREPARE FOROUTBREAKS, BUT AREOPTIMISTIC AFTERNEARLY A MONTH BACKIN SCHOOL - ESPECIALLYWITH ADVANCEMENTS INA POSSIBLE VACCINE.AMANDA MCGILL,SCHOOL BOARDTREASURER: "IT MIGHTTAKE US A COUPLEYEARS TO GET US BACKTO WHERE WE WEREOR CLOSER TO THAT,BUT IT WILL ALLOWS USTO START TAKING THOSESTEPS.IN MILLARD.KL.3NNTHE SCHOOL BOARDSAYS THEY ALSORECEIVED 1.6 MILLIONDOLLARS IN CARES ACTMONEY.THEY SAY THIS WILLHELP COVER THE 2 ANDA HALF MILLIONDOLLARS THEY'VESPENT IN COVID-19RELATED EXPENSES.COUNCIL BLUFFS