Northland School Board: School will Begin with No Mask Mandate

   Superintendent Pat Rendle answered the question on everyone’s mind “How do we begin the school year?” with his recommendation at the regular scheduled school board meeting held Thurs., Aug. 19. Rendle stated he has been in numerous meetings with administration, school nurses and county health staff asking for their guidance and recommendations. Rendle then attended another meeting with other superintendents from the Itasca Area Schools Collaborative (IASC), which Northland is a part of. It was mentioned the superintendents want all of the schools within the collaborative to have a consensus on how to open schools this fall and what requirements will be within the school. 

   Rendle mentioned currently there are no mask mandates requiring students to wear masks in the school, but there is a federal mandate requiring masks be worn on busses. Also, Rendle stated that the school cannot require students and staff wear a mask unless the school board adopts a resolution on a mask policy. Rendle recommended school begin as a normal year with no masks required.

   Rendle also mentioned that the state is no longer requiring schools to perform contact tracing for reported positive cases or mandatory testing if a student shows signs of COVID. If a student tests positive for COVID, the school is still required to inform the state, but will not send home students or staff that came into contact with the student. However, Rendle stated the school will notify parents if somebody in their child’s class tested positive for COVID, just like they would as if there is a lice outbreak or another illness in the classroom. This way the parents can monitor their child for symptoms. Everyone needs to be flexible again this year, said Rendle, and distance learning may be needed again.

   Principal Mary Yakibchuk shared in her report to the board that summer hiring was a success and nearly all open positions have been filled. Yakibchuk also mentioned the paras will partake in a year-long training program which will provide professional development in topics of de-escalation strategies, tools to support and scaffold for academics and accommodations, learning about executive functioning and increased understanding of various disability categories. A schedule was handed out for these trainings to all returning and new paras.

   Yakibchuk then informed the board that summer school went really well and was a positive experience for both students and staff. Many students showed school spirit and were positive. With each week of summer school being a different theme, students engaged in cultural learning and even had an Olympic week where they ended the week with water games outside.

   In other Board action:

   • Heard from business manager Ellie Hill on enrollment numbers and an update receiving quotes for the baseball and softball field updates.

   • Approved a resolution establishing the second Tuesday of the month as “USA Day.” 

   • Approved professional service agreement with Hill City for .33 FTE Spanish.

   • Approved a contract with Brent Schimek for Activities Director online duties.

   • Approved a one-time lump sum payment of $500 to all MSEA-NCS employees and at-will employees by Sept. 15 for the purpose of attracting and retaining employees.

   • Approved increasing the science position to a 1.0 FTE position.

   • Approved the hire of the following individuals: Bruce Schear as cleaner with a start date of Aug. 24; an individual as paraprofessional with a start date of Aug. 26; Jamie Paiz as Little Sands Learning Center paraprofessional with a start date of Aug. 26; Tichelle Pound as paraprofessional with a start date of June 1.

   • Approved well child leave for Sara Dixon, bus driver from approximately Sept. 20 through Dec. 13.

   • Approved Terri Shepard as PBIS Coordinator for 2021-22.

   • Approved Beth Wilson as Prom Coordinator for 2021-22.

   The Board scheduled the following meeting: a regular meeting, Thurs., Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m. all meetings are held at Northland High School.