CENTERBURG — Unmasked, unvaccinated students who are exposed to the COVID-19 virus will be required to quarantine.
Unvaccinated students who wear a mask consistently and are exposed to the virus will not have to quarantine, but will be advised to wear a mask while indoors in the days following exposure.
Centerburg Local Schools superintendent Mike Hebenthal clarified the district’s quarantine policy for the 2021-22 school year during Monday’s school board meeting, citing guidance from the Ohio Department of Health received on Friday.
If a vaccinated student is exposed to the COVID-19 virus, they will not be required to quarantine, but are advised to wear a mask indoors as much as possible following the exposure for up to 14 days. Students who tests positive for the virus must quarantine for at least 10 days from the date of the positive test, regardless of vaccination status.
The Ohio Department of Health released a kindergarten through 12 grade quarantine chart addressing various classroom exposure scenarios and the vaccination and masking status of the student, teacher or staff member who was exposed to the COVID-19 virus.
The aforementioned quarantine procedures, explained in more detail by the chart above, are not exclusive to Centerburg and are guidelines for all Ohio schools.
“What families need to think about it, if I really don’t have the ability for my child to be quarantined, whether it’s a matter of childcare or what it is, then you probably want your child to wear a mask,” Hebenthal said.
In an Aug. 3 letter to the district, Hebenthal previously stated “there is no requirement to quarantine if you have been exposed to COVID,” a stance that has since changed following the ODH guidance. The district will also not be offering online learning, as previously stated in the letter.
The district’s masking protocol for the upcoming school year detailed in the letter — that masks would not be mandated in the classroom — remains in place, Hebenthal said Monday. There are no vaccine or testing requirements.
“There’s no mandate to get a test if you feel sick, so we’ll be at the mercy of people reporting,” Hebenthal said.
Students will be required to wear masks on school buses regardless of vaccination status, per federal mandate, and Hebenthal said the district is in the process of ordering masks to distribute to students to ensure the mandate is followed.
Hebenthal said the district will have to be vigilant to ensure students are not made fun of for wearing masks if they choose, or vice versa.
In other business, Centerburg Local Schools is moving forward with a contract proposal to place an iZone Broadband utility box on district grounds, which will run fiber-optic internet for the village at large.
Scott Lanham, owner of iZone Broadband, proposed the idea during Monday’s meeting.
“It will be a temporary structure just placed on a gravel pad,” Lanham said, explaining the company would need a 40×40-foot area.
The board had no objections Monday.
The district will begin lease contract negotiations in the coming days, as well as discuss the possibility of starting an apprenticeship program between iZone Broadband and the district, which Lanham also proposed Monday.
The board approved a contract with Fanning Howey for pre-bond and engineering services. Fanning Howey, a firm specializing in designing learning environments, presented at the July board meeting about facility improvements.
Potential projects discussed included a new football stadium with a gateway; a field house; baseball field; a playground/outdoor learning space; and administrative building renovations to accommodate kindergarten classrooms. The projects would likely not begin until May 2023.
Regarding the upcoming school year, all Centerburg students — along with all students nationwide — will be given free meals regardless of the student’s income status through the 2021-22 school year, Hebenthal said. The free provision (a “Type A” breaskfast and lunch) does not apply to ala carte items, snacks or drinks other than milk.
This U.S. Department of Agriculture funded plan is an extension of pandemic flexibilities intended to support safe reopening.
The board approved several finances, including a $2,000 donation from CABC-Touchdown Club to the athletic department and additions to the Certificate of Estimated Resources and Permanent Appropriations for the 2022 fiscal year (specifically Student Wellness & Success +$108,367.02; Title I +$142,095.52; Title IIA + $26,173.84; Title IV + $12,113.19; IDEA +$223,997.28; and General Fund +864,300.00).
“It’s a pretty significant increase,” treasurer Lori Houck said, regarding the general fund.
“If I don’t allocate enough and we get to the end of the year, we can’t pay it because it wasn’t budgeted. I’d rather air on the side of too much, so I went ahead and increased several budget lines.”
The board approved several policies, including:
— Title 1 Parent Involvement policy, as required by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title I, Part A Section 1118
The policy establishes expectations and objectives for meaningful parental involvement.
Under Centerburg’s policy, technical assistance and other support will be provided to allow schools to plan and implement effective guardian involvement activities, such as consultation with employers, philanthropic organizations and experts.
Meetings will be conducted including provisions for flexible scheduling and assistance to ensure improve guardian participation, the district will develop agendas for guardian meetings, provide timely responses to guardian questions and suggestions, among other methods to involve guardians in Title 1 funds and planning.
— Policy 2413, as required by state law
The district’s career advising plan includes multiple steps.
Advising will be given to kindergarten through 12 grade students, with grade-level examples that link students’ school work to one or more career fields and interventions/additional advising for students who are identified as at risk of dropping out of school (identified using the Early Warning System offered by the Ohio department of Education, with input form teachers, counselors and other staff).
Staff will also be trained on how to advise students on career pathways.
Students can earn a high school diploma through multiple academic and career pathways under the policy, including industry-recognized credentials and postsecondary course credit.
The aforementioned policy is updated every two years.
Board meetings occur at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month.
The board comprises president Roger Clark, vice president Lynn McCann, Tracey Myers, Kris Weldy and Lori Jones-Perkins.
