After the decision for the Marshall Public School District to have all students learn virtually for at least the next two weeks beginning on Wednesday, September 30, due to COVID-19 concerns, the school board held a special meeting on Monday, September 28.
According to unofficial minutes from the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Carol Maher reported there are close to or above 200 persons quarantined across the district, including 21 adults. The central office administrative team determined it was appropriate to suspend the phase in the Return To Learn Plan since consideration of a large number of quarantines had not been addressed in the plan. Dr. Maher also said substitute teachers are down from 50 last year to about 15 this year.
Board member Ellen Lance asked why each school or level has its own plan for instruction, but they all have a blanket decision made for them; why the Return To Learn Plan was suspended and put aside when it is a living document; and asked for consideration for the high school because its numbers are low?
Dr. Maher answered that the building principals had individual freedom to plan for instruction, but decisions such as moving to distance learning for all is one made by the superintendent and the central-office team.
Lance also shared her concern that the athletes at the high school have been doing quite well not being positive, “yet we are taking the season away.” She also mentioned the new NCMC guidelines the district is following only has the district at 10.14 cases per day, which keeps the district in the Orange Level, and questioned why the decision was made to close every building.
Dr. Maher said there is flexibility in the plans for instruction, but there are district requirements for health and safety of students and staff across the district and are not individualized at the building level.
Dr. Maher said she believed that if the district is in the Red Level that sports stopped. But board member Christy Varner stated that was a plan for high COVID cases, not a quarantine problem. Dr. Maher replied in the affirmative that the quarantine issue had not been addressed in the plan or the NCMC grid.
Board vice president Bryon Jacques asked for the number of positives by building; dates of the quarantined people to be defined; and asked the administration to take another look at everything by Tuesday and discuss if they believe school, athletics and activities should continue at the high school. Dr. Maher agreed to provide this information by 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 29.