The Hempfield Space Faculty Board this month will take into account plenty of doable adjustments to the district’s well being and security plan associated to masking and quarantine durations.
The primary modification would reinstate mandated masking. The second modification would get rid of barring college students from college after they’ve had shut contacts with constructive circumstances at college however who haven’t examined constructive for covid or present any signs, no matter vaccination standing.
Potential adjustments to the well being and security plan got here after board members this week debated one of the simplest ways to maintain college students and workers secure as circumstances proceed to succeed in document numbers. As of Thursday, there have been 89 covid circumstances throughout the district, 76 of which had been college students and 13 staffers, a tracker shows. The very best variety of circumstances, 31, was reported at the highschool.
“The job turns into so overwhelming when these numbers begin to get excessive that it turns into unimaginable for our nurses to handle that many constructive circumstances coming into their places of work at the moment,” mentioned Superintendent Tammy Wolicki. “Our aim is to proceed to maintain colleges open for in-person instruction. That’s turning into increasingly more difficult.”
In accordance with Wolicki, the excessive variety of circumstances is inflicting staffing shortages throughout the district, which is barely amplified by a low variety of substitutes accessible for lecturers, college nurses and custodial workers. One other problem, Wolicki mentioned, is guaranteeing college students who quarantined for 5 days proceed to put on a masks for the remaining 5 days whereas at school.
An individual who’s symptom free who checks constructive for covid-19 or who’s recognized as an in depth contact doesn’t must quarantine for greater than 5 days, in accordance with modified steering from the Pennsylvania Division of Well being. Nevertheless, it’s endorsed that the individual put on a face masks in public for an extra 5 days.
“For our instructing workers this has actually change into one thing that’s virtually unmanageable,” Wolicki mentioned. “Actually what we’re saying to the households is ‘Sure, your baby can return on day six, they usually have to be carrying a masks.’ In an elementary college that’s fairly straightforward for a self-contained classroom. … In the highschool at any time when they’re altering durations, it’s very troublesome to tell that variety of lecturers that the masking is critical.”
Board members shortly jumped in, giving their opinions on doable subsequent steps.
Tony Bompiani, board president, urged ending the quarantine interval for these recognized as an in depth contact however who are usually not constructive and don’t have signs. He famous that different districts resembling Elizabeth Ahead give mother and father the choice for his or her baby recognized as an in depth contact to quarantine for 10 days or proceed to attend college so long as the scholar stays asymptomatic.
“I’d nonetheless wish to see us vote that in,” Bompiani mentioned. “That will actually assist the workers out right here quite a bit. In fact it wouldn’t assist the workers out if the workers began getting sick, however nonetheless it will assist the workers out as a result of it wouldn’t need to be all this work with the quarantine and the whole lot else.”
Board member Jerry Radebaugh mentioned he isn’t against altering quarantine tips however added, “We’ve to ensure that if we might transfer in that route that we are able to belief the mother and father that if their children are sick to not ship them into the varsity. From what I see I don’t know if that may occur.”
Different board members urged reimplementing a masks mandate to assist curb the unfold of the virus. It will additionally restrict the variety of college students and workers required to quarantine.
“I need to maintain the youngsters at school and what does it the most effective is at this level that everybody can agree on is masks,” mentioned board member Scott Be taught.
Board member Vince DeAugustine, additionally a wrestling coach, agreed with Be taught, noting that wrestlers are persistently quarantining and out of college.
Diane Ciabattoni mentioned her aim is to maintain colleges open and working as regular as doable.
“We’ve been thanked by college students due to the best way that we’ve dealt with issues it has been in a position to be as regular as doable,” Ciabattoni mentioned. “If masks will assist one iota I undoubtedly assist masks, however I need to maintain the faculties open with no matter it takes.”
Board members Jennifer Bretz and Mike Alfery disagreed.
“I’m not in favor of going again to mask-only,” Bretz mentioned. “I’m sick of all this and I feel extra on the strains that it’s a mother and father selection whether or not or not their baby wears a masks.”
Alfery mentioned there is no such thing as a straightforward reply to the scenario, noting that the masks debate has change into a “polarizing dialogue.”
“I feel omicron has been a present from God. I feel it’s unfold extra simply however it’s not killing wherever close to as many individuals,” he mentioned. “We’ve all misplaced someone with covid, every one in all us. It’s actual, it’s on the market, however the argument for the unfold and hostile results in colleges, I simply don’t purchase it. The info’s not there to assist us mandating anyone to do something.”
Board member Jeanne Smith urged holding a particular assembly to assemble data from either side of the controversy previous to a vote. Theat was finally voted down.
Officers will resume the controversy and take into account the 2 motions through the Jan. 24 assembly at 7 p.m. in the highschool library.
Megan Tomasic is a Tribune-Evaluate workers author. You’ll be able to contact Megan at 724-850-1203, mtomasic@triblive.com or by way of Twitter .