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South Putnam principals share school opening plan
Responding to concerns of parents and teachers about returning to school, South Putnam’s principals have devised a fluid plan when it comes to safety. They are also hoping to maintain a sense of normalcy.
“We think we have a pretty good plan moving forward,” Central Elementary Principal Todd Gowen said. “It is very fluid, as we know. I watched the news today and everybody’s all over the board.”
Gowen presented a “working document” which he said had been “tweaked” between him, South Putnam High School/Middle School Principal Levi Yowell and Fillmore Elementary Principal Debbie Steffy, to the South Putnam School Board during its regular meeting Wednesday evening.
Yowell first addressed mask wearing, a contentious issue with the COVID-19 spread. The plan states that wearing them would be recommended for staff when distancing is not possible. Students would be required to wear them on buses, but recommended while in the school. Additionally, teachers may require masks in their classrooms.
Superintendent Bruce Bernhardt said that the state had acquired about two million for all students in Indiana, and that they would be sent out between now and the general beginning of schools. This means that each student would have one cloth mask. Yowell added that extras would be available.
With transportation, Yowell said single routes would still happen, but that the buses would be thoroughly cleaned between each route. The plan, however, states that Fillmore Elementary would not be used as a bus stop.
Safety in the cafeterias is also a major concern. Yowell said Food Service Director Lori Boyce was looking into providing grab-and-go meals to minimize exposure in lines. Knowing each building is different, students would be spread out as much as possible. Staggering lunch times and locations are also being considered.
“In my building, as far as lunch shifts, typically in a normal year we have two lunch shifts,” Steffy provided, saying there would now be three shifts between the cafeteria and an alternate location at Fillmore Elementary. “There’ll be 15 minutes in between each shift for cleaning to take place ... There’ll be two grades at a time going to lunch.
“(It’s about) trying to minimize the contact with other people in the building,” she added.
Gowen also briefly addressed issues with attendance. The plan stipulates that there would be no incentives for perfect attendance, and any COVID-19-related sicknesses would be documented as such.
Steffy added that devices would be sent with students at Fillmore Elementary, citing an “inevitability” that school could be closed. This is part of the school corporation’s one-to-one program.
Cleaning protocols would be as consistent as possible. Cleaning supplies would be provided for all classrooms, and all bathrooms would be cleaned after passing periods. Documentation of such would also be kept. There is also the prospect of adding a custodian to help with cleaning after athletic events.
The biggest concern when it comes to the new school year, Yowell said, is what the protocol would be if a positive case is confirmed. Basically, administrators would follow the lead of the Putnam County Health Department, and staff with a fever have to be out of the building for 72 hours.
Despite all of the precautions and procedures, Yowell said it was about maximizing the number of days students and staff are in school.
“Our goal is to have class, and to have kids and have teachers here, and play sports and walk down the hallways and kids can see their friends,” he emphasized. “Kind of our thought process is that whatever we have to do so that the health department says we can have school, that’s what we wanna do.”
Bernhardt and the principals stipulated that the plan was tentative and subject to change at any time. Gowen and Steffy said that meetings about the framework were to take place Thursday. Yowell stated that his staff had already met.
In other business:
• The board passed two resolutions pertaining to bond procedures. The first established the maximum amount to be borrowed at $1.26 million, as well as the maximum term of repayment beginning in July 2021. The maximum interest rate was also set at six percent. The second resolution was to establish a publishing scheme.
• The board approved handbooks for the middle school and high school. Yowell clarified that he had amended a clause relating to graduation in May. The approval also included athletic handbooks.
The board also approved the following personnel report:
• Resignations:
- Certified: Adam Eaton - MS/HS teacher;
- Classified: Lacy Cordell - Central Elementary food service (part time); Carmen Cash, Fillmore Elementary instructional assistant (part time); Shirley Knauer - MS/HS custodian; Rainy Jordan - MS/HS custodian; Michelle Jordan - MS/HS custodian; Casey Rossok - bus driver; Sharisse Arnold - MS/HS receptionist; and Jamie Basore - MS/HS instructional assistant;
• New hires:
- Classified: Lisa Trump - MS/HS custodian;
- ECA: Roshia Scott - middle school volleyball coach;
- Lay coaches: Jordan Forquer - MS/HS football; and Justin Curtis - assistant varsity boys’ basketball;
- Volunteers: Rick Scholl - JV boys’ basketball; Keira Wells - MS/HS cheerleading; Makenna Wells - MS/HS cheerleading; Ellen Cash - MS/HS volleyball; Emily Dabkowski - MS/HS volleyball; and Jonathan Thibodeau - MS/HS football.
The next regular meeting of the South Putnam School Board is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. in the South Putnam MS/HS Learning Center.