MONROE — The School District of Monroe Board of Education discussed at its meeting Aug. 24 what may happen to support staff if the school transitions to online learning for all of its students. No action was requested or taken on the matter.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the district currently plans to return to school Sept. 1 in a hybrid Plan B model, where on opposite weeks, half of the student body would attend for one week at a time and the other half would learn remotely. The board agreed to start in this model for the first four weeks of school despite local COVID-19 numbers to allow families to plan and to be able to experience the changes.
District Administrator Rick Waski said if students were to move to online learning entirely, that could mean that some support staff members wouldn’t have all of their current duties to fulfill. However, he did propose to the board reallocating the positions into additional roles that would become available due to the pandemic and new programs the school would offer.
Waski said in the hybrid Plan B, there would be about six people left without full time hours. If the school went to Plan C, which is directed online learning for the entire district, there would be about 15 support staff members not meeting full time hours.
The board could decide whether or not to offer a plan for employees with the possibility of including furlough time, reduced hours, pay for only hours worked or layoff notices. However, additional jobs would also be available for those willing to take on new tasks.
“None are necessary,” Waski said of the changes to consider. “But if we want to do something, we must give 30 days notice.”
Some employees could be deployed to a local childcare center off site to offer academic support to a cohort group of students working virtually or alternately to help. The school district is currently working with five community-based local childcare centers including the YMCA, City of Monroe (Parks and Recreation), Noah’s Ark, Rainbow Childcare and Little Learners, to offer resources for students there who need to accomplish remote learning.
Director of Pupil Services Joe Monroe also discussed the school looking to implement another resource for parents that could be accessed via text, phone or email to offer help with virtual learning. The parent customer service center concept would offer six hotlines, two for each school building and a Spanish line that would help direct parents to resources and help solve problems they’re experiencing with virtual learning.
The system could also be an option to reallocate some employees, he said.
“We have staff members who are willing to be reassigned to these roles,” Waski said.
“At some point, the board will need to determine what to do if the amount of work doesn’t match the labor,” Waski said. “Everyone’s doing their part. We need to get our feet under us and first experience Plan B and see what that looks like.”
If the board chooses to make changes, a 30-day notice in writing is required, Waski said. The timeline of that action would need approval by the Sept. 14 board meeting so changes could be implemented by Oct. 15 if necessary.
In other matters, the board:
● Heard a report from Monroe Middle School Principal Brian Boehm who said the middle school would go to a block schedule for 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The block allows 68 minutes of homeroom and then 80-minute classes for students. Boehm said this would allow benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as a longer lunch to provide students with some outside time to have a break from wearing masks, decreasing daily transitions from 12 to 8 to allow more social distancing times, and to lessen transitions for at-home learners and teachers. Boehm said the block schedule also allows more in class time for interventions and flex time, possible one-on-one small group time and gives teachers more time to allow for “brain breaks,” team time, fun activities and time outdoors. Boehm said the middle school staff was surveyed and of the 49 responses, 46 of them were in support of the block.
● Approved district funding for bowling, cheerleading and dance after discussion at the last board meeting. The total costs to the district to fund coaches and equipment for the three programs will cost about $8,100.