Northland School Board: COVID dominates school board discussion

   A special school board meeting was held Mon., Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. to update the board on COVID cases, how the school was currently dealing with the situations and for the board to discuss if any further action was needed to be taken.

   The meeting began with updates from Pat Rendle, Superintendent; Mary Yakibchuk, Principal and Janessa Green, Assistant Principal. Rendle shared information about the various updates he receives on a weekly basis from the area counties with current COVID case numbers. Concern was also mentioned about possible litigation ramifications by the school not moving to a distant learning situation. It was stated as long as the school is doing something to address the situation no legal action could be taken.

   Current positive cases were discussed with a total of 25 people, between staff, students and the Little Sand Group, having tested positive.

   The board then had a discussion how to proceed with the current rise in positive cases. The consensus of the board was to continue with the actions currently being implemented and stay with an in-person learning plan. Re-implementing a mask policy was also discussed with the board stating that would be a personal choice of the parents or students with masks being available at the school for use.

   The board also discussed how to proceed if teaching staff were to test positive. It was mentioned if they were feeling well enough to teach that class could possibly be moved to a distant learning class. It was the census of the board that the school try to remain mostly in an in-person learning model, but there may be a possibility of some classes be moved to a distant learning situation.

   Upcoming meetings are as follows: a regular meeting, Thurs., Oct. 28 at 5:30 p.m.; a work session, Thurs., Nov. 4 at 5:30 p.m.; meet and confer, Wed., Nov. 10 at 3:45 p.m. and the Truth in Taxation Meeting, Thurs., Dec. 16 at 6:30 p.m. all meetings are held at Northland High School.