Menomonie School Board weakens COVID exclusion rules in the district

PLEASE NOTE - due to the expected great interest in the proposed COVID policy changes tonight's meeting is being moved to the Menomonie High School Auditorium. A notice about this will go out shortly from the district. 

A quick read of the proposed changes to the COVID policy updates for tonight's meeting makes it appear that the new policy no longer excludes people from entering the district facilities if they have been notified of a possible exposure to the virus. This is a major change in policy.  We have reached out to the superintendent and board president for clarification that this is indeed the intention. This morning we received an email from Superintendent Zydowsky stating:

There are a number of proposed changes in the plan. The district is recommending some changes to make abbreviated quarantine more streamlined, and a Board member has put forward a proposal to only exclude household close contacts. The number of student exclusions is going through the roof and something needs to be done....either masks, distancing, or the elimination of quarantine.  My recommendation continues to be universal masking. Thanks. Joe Z.

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE MENOMONIE AREA

NOTICE OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

MENOMONIE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2021, 5:30 P.M.

In order to provide sufficient physical distancing, in-person attendance for the public Board meeting will be limited to 25 people. It is anticipated that there will be 14 spaces available for members of the public. The meeting will also be livestreamed at: https://ensemble.cesa10.k12.wi.us/Watch/j2TAb89N .

Members of the public are welcome to provide comments to the Board during the Community Communications item listed on the agenda. In-person community communications will be allowed at Monday’s meeting, but comments may also be provided in writing. Please submit your written comments or your request to be placed on the schedule for providing virtual comments by emailing [email protected] by 3:00 p.m. on Monday, September 13, 2021.

AGENDA

I. OPENING ITEMS

A. Call to Order

B. Roll Call and Quorum

C. Pledge of Allegiance Reading of Mission Statement

D. Agenda Order and Approval/Revision

E. Recommendations and Commendations

F. Student Representative Communications

G. Community Communications

H. Revenue and Expenditure Reports for the Month Ended June 2021 and August 2021

I. Monthly Employment Report (August 2021)

II. CONSENT AGENDA

A. Action to Approve Consent Agenda

1. Minutes of Regular Meeting of August 9, 2021, Special Meeting of August 23, 2021, Annual Budget Meeting August 23, 2021, and Emergency Meeting August 25, 2021.

2. Financial Reports for August 2021

3. Donations Exceeding $1,000 for August 2021

4. 66:0301 Special Education Cooperative Agreement between SDMA and the Eau Claire Area School District

III. PERSONNEL CONSENT AGENDA

A. Action to Approve Personnel Consent Agenda

1. Resignations/Retirements

2. Requests to Hire

IV. ACTION AGENDA

A. Approve Updates to SDMA COVID-19 Plan  - ed. note - the new COVID action plan is attached below - the changes are highlighted in yellow. One of the major changes is to no longer exclude asymptomatic students who have been exposed to the virus in the schools.

There are now 1086 students who have been excluded from the district. The number is growing rapidly and "this is not sustainable" according to Superintendent Zydowsky. It would be very difficult to do social distancing in the district since there are now so many more students than last year. The cost would be over 1 million dollars and the district cannot get enough teachers and contact tracers etc. to handle the distancing. The alternatives are full  masking or dropping the quarantines and just leaving students in the schools. 

The new COVID plan including not quarantining students who were exposed in school  and are asymptomatic passed on a 5-3 vote. 

B. Approve Updates to the SDMA Staffing Plan

C. Approve 2021-2022 Substitute Teacher Incentive Plan

V. DISCUSSION ITEMS/POLICY REVIEW

A. Summer School Report

B. Building and Grounds Annual Report

C. Program Resource Reviews Timeline

D. Process and Timeline for the 2022 Medical Insurance Renewal

E. Review of District Banking Extension

F. Policy Review

1. 170, Board Meetings

2. 171.2, Agenda Preparation and Dissemination

3. 171.2 Exhibit, Agenda Format

4. 171.2(2), Agenda Request Template

G. Items Related to Next Meeting Dates, Board Committees, and Reports

VI. ADJOURNMENT

A. Action to Adjourn

The agenda as noted above was posted more than twenty-four hours prior to the meeting date; therefore, this agenda and the agenda as published in the Dunn County News may have since been revised. The most up-to-date agenda information is available on the district website. This agenda is posted at the Menomonie Area School District Administrative Services Center, and on the district website at www.sdmanonline.com under the School Board link.