August 11, 2020 at 7:00 PM - Virtual Board Meeting #12

Description:  District-Wide Officers are, Dr. Julie Everly, Superintendent; Mrs. Kathy Eighmey, Executive Director of Business and Finance; Mrs. Cindy Flynn, Executive Director of Human Resources; Ms. Terry Joseph, Executive Director of Student Services; Mr. David Payne, Executive Director of Technology; Mr. Jerry Oley, Executive Director of Operations; Mr. Timothy Salenbien, Director of Operations; Mr. Frank Henry, Supervisor of Transportation; Mrs. Paula Kipf, Supervisor of Kids Club; Mrs. Delsie Sissoko, Principal of Arborwood Campus; Mrs. Andrea Wylie, Assistant Principal of Arborwood Campus; Mrs. Melissa Bell, Principal of Custer Campus; Mr. James Miller III, Assistant Principal of Custer Elementary; Mrs. Emily Bundon, Principal of Manor Elementary; Mr. Scott Hoppert, Principal of Raisinville Elementary; Mrs. Meghan Gibson, Principal of Waterloo Elementary; Mr. Jeffrey McVeigh, Principal of Monroe Middle School; Ms. Sara Staten, Assistant Principal of Monroe Middle School; Mr. Stephen Pollzzie, Principal of Monroe High School; Mr. Michael Foley, Assistant Principal of Monroe High School; Mrs. Jen Furkas, Assistant Principal of Monroe High School; Mrs. Leah Morelli, Assistant Principal of Monroe High School;  Dr. John Ray, Athletic Director (Dr. Ray will be the Covid-19 officer for all athletic programs), Monroe High School; Mr. Kevin Pilgrim, Principal of Orchard Center High School; Mrs. Vuncia Council, Director of The Learning Bank.

 

Description:  Earlier this spring, the Governor Whitmer’s administration adopted a six-phase distinction for reopening after statewide stay-at-home orders were lifted.  This plan, MI Safe Start: A plan to re-engage Michigan’s Economy, was released on May 7, 2020.  The plan divides the state into eight regions and provides a framework to determine which of the six phases that each region falls based upon the COVID-19 data in their geographic area of the state.  Monroe Public Schools and all of Monroe County is in Region 1. 

As part of the MI Safe Start Plan, the Governor appointed the Return to Learn Advisory Council which is comprised of education and health practitioners and field experts.  The Governor tasked this group with the design of a guidance that would provide minimum steps for districts to use in developing more detailed local plans for the safe reopening of school. Michigan Safe Schools: Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap was published on June 30, 2020.  The Roadmap provides required, strongly recommended, and recommended protocols across mental and social-emotional health, instruction, and operations within each phase of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. 

Under PHASES 1-3, no in-person instruction will be allowed in a designated region.
Phase 4 allows in-person learning while requiring teachers and staff to wear masks at all times except during meals and requiring K-6 students to wear masks and socially distance, including in classrooms. Younger students would have to wear masks on buses and in hallways, but not in classrooms.
Examples of other phase 4 requirements include:

• All students would have to wear face masks in hallways and common areas and on buses. Every student would have to use hand sanitizer before getting on the bus.
• Schools would have to work with local health departments on screening protocols.
• No indoor assemblies with students from more than one classroom would be allowed.
• Libraries, computer labs, arts, and other hands-on classrooms must undergo cleaning after every class period with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution. Student desks must be wiped down with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution after every class period.

Strongly recommended phase 4 protocols include spacing student desks 6 feet apart and maintaining social distancing between students and teachers at all times; serving meals over staggered periods in classrooms or outdoors; and creating quarantine areas for students or staff who exhibit symptoms while at school.
Phases 5 and 6 allow many traditional in-person activities to return yet continuing to require protocols and other improvements that have been made.

Both before and after receiving this guidance Monroe Public Schools has continuously collected information, data, and feedback in the form of student achievement data, student, parent, and staff feedback, COVID-19 local and state data, CDC and MIOSHA guidance, conferences with state-wide professional organizations, organized labor groups, and briefings with the Monroe County Health Department, and legal counsel advisement. 
With the aforementioned at the forefront of the design, the Monroe Public Schools team created a draft of the district’s Return to Learn Plan.  The draft was discussed at the Board of Education Curriculum Meeting on Monday, August 3, 2020.  It was released to the public for a feedback period on Tuesday, August 4, 2020.  The Board has been provided with the feedback received through the rtl@monroe.k12.mi.us address.  Executive Order 2020-142 states that by August 15, 2020, the local school district board must approve a district’s plan. 
 

Description:  Move to approve the appointment of Ainsley McNamara as a Teacher with Monroe Public Schools effective August 31, 2020, and place on the appropriate salary level as contained in the Master Agreement, and upon completion of all pre-employment requirements.
 

Description:  Move to approve the resignation from Monroe Public Schools of Hannah Sheetz, effective August 15, 2020, and the resignation from Monroe Public Schools of Jared Peterson, effective August 19, 2020.
 

Description:  Move to approve the above-named coaches for the 2020/21 school year: as per the MCEA master agreement.
 

Description:  The reinstatement committee, after a complete review, is recommending.

Student A: The Board of Education will approve the reinstatement for the student to attend high school in the home attendance area to earn a high school diploma.

Student B: The Board of Education will approve the reinstatement for the student to attend Monroe High School to earn a high school diploma.

Student C: The Board of Education will approve the reinstatement for the student to attend Monroe High School to earn a high school diploma.

Student D: The Board of Education will approve the reinstatement for the student to attend high school in the home attendance area to earn a high school diploma.
 

Description:  Move to award the vehicle financing bid to Fifth Third at the fixed rate of 1.72% for three years and reject all other bids.

Description:  Move to adopt the Corporate Resolution for Michigan Liquid Asset Fund (MILAF) for the 2020 calendar year.

Description:  Move to adopt the Resolution for Facsimile Signature - Michigan Liquid Asset Fund (MILAF) for the 2020 calendar year.

Description:  Move to adjourn August 11, 2020, Virtual Board Meeting #12.