Winfield-Mt. Union ‘recommends’ for students when they return

WINFIELD - The Winfield-Mount Union Community School District approved a return-to-learn plan in a 4-2 vote on Wednesday evening with masks expected of teachers and recommended for students.

In an overview of the plan, Superintendent Jeff Maeder discussed the procedures that would be followed if a student or staff would test positive, including quarantining for at least 10 days from the start of symptoms. Maeder explained the public health department would be responsible for contact tracing and informing parents and staff if they have been potentially exposed.

'I know early on the question was about will we know who's got it … from a student and staff perspective, that's important. I don't think anybody necessarily needed to know that exact person just where they were,” he said.

He assured that a positive case would not mean the district 'would have to shut down the whole school” and could potentially just see one classroom 'that might have to go online for a couple weeks” if the situation should call for it.

Maeder informed the board the district would be receiving $20,000 from the state dedicated to help schools with technology and that the district had received a group discount from Edgenuity, the online platform through which it will be offering their remote-learning option.

Maeder went on to address a public comment from a district parent who asked the board to outline situations and instances where masks would be required of students and what plans there are to determine when masks are no longer required. The draft of the plan presented to the board stated 'school employees and students will be expected to wear face coverings and perform other safety practices when directed to do so by district protocol.”

Maeder said the classrooms are looking to rearrange classrooms, use outside spaces and fit in breaks for students and staff to be without masks but added there remains a lot of uncertainty about what school days will look like until students are physically back in the classrooms where teachers can establish a routine.

He added students could learn to walk through hallways 6 feet apart, and the schools would be staggering when students would need to travel through the building to minimize contact.

'I think the younger the kids they are, if you teach them the routines, they'll follow the routines,” Maeder said.

The superintendent added the district would continue to follow the guidance of public health and would remove the requirement when told it is safe to do so.

Board member Ashlei Venghaus suggested re-evaluating the necessity for masks several weeks into school, specifically for younger students, which would give time for parents to prepare for the requirement. Maeder noted it's generally easier to begin with the rule and slowly relax from there as needed.

Board members asked about potential liability issues. Maeder said lawyers noted there would be leniency toward schools who are making their best efforts to mitigate spread. If a district were not taking any precautions, Maeder said he would assume there would be a liability issue. Board President Klay Edwards said he felt there could be a liability issue if the district mandated masks and a student could 'ten years down the road [a student] develops something and they can say ‘I have this breathing disorder.'”

Board member Dan Schurr noted even with masks, many people do not handle or wear them properly and said he felt a recommendation would be sufficient especially if the district is making sure students can socially distance and other measures are being taken.

Schurr added '75 percent of the [parents]” he has spoken to 'do not want masks” but recognized a large percentage of teachers were for the requirement, which would remain a conflict. Board members discussed the issue of varying levels of expectations in different classrooms with different teachers and how to equally uphold a mask mandate.

After a failed motion from Venghaus to pass the plan with stipulations to consider how the elementary school could more effectively social distance and factoring in breaks from the masks for students, Schurr suggested an amendment that masks would be expected of teachers and recommended for students. The motion passed with Venghaus and board member Aaron Cummings voting against the amendment.