The Fulton Public Schools Board of Education will meet at 7 p.m. today in the Fulton High School Commons to discuss facilities, the budget and food service.
The board is expected to adopt several policy updates from the Missouri School Boards' Association.
Assistant superintendent Chris Hubbuch will update the board on virtual learning, readiness for blended and distance learning, sexual abuse prevention training and the latest information on state assessment.
Also on the agenda is a fiscal year 2021 budget amendment, on which the board will vote.
Due to an adjustment of the tax levy, operating revenue will increase slightly and debt service revenue will decrease slightly. At the same time, operating expenses related to virtual education, personal protective equipment and cleaning efforts have also increased. The proposed budget amendment takes these things into account, also reducing debt service expenditures.
The board will also receive an update on the search for a construction manager at risk to assist with projects funded by the 2020 bond issue.
In other business, the board will hear a facilities update with information related to elementary parking lot projects and plans for the high school gymnasium addition, as well as information on Rice Hall, and a food service report.
According to meeting documents, FPS served 56,635 meals this summer. That is considerably more than the 11,586 served last summer. The increase is related to the Grab and Go program, a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of Tuesday, the district was reporting four active positive COVID-19 cases. The district's COVID-19 data indicates another 80 people, though not known to be sick, were quarantined due to exposure.
In an effort to provide the safest environment for students to participate in activities, the North Central Missouri Conference has come up with four color-coded levels to determine what events will look like depending on how the pandemic progresses.
At the green level, non-essential personnel are allowed, and there is no spectator limit. This week, district has moved to the yellow level.
At the current level, preferred personnel such as participants, coaches, officials, medical personal, staff, security and the media are allowed to attend. In terms of spectators, all Fulton High School students can attend events at the yellow level.
For other spectators, there is a four-person limit per participant. At the beginning of the semester, FHS activity participants and athletes were given four "tickets." Student participants can distribute the tickets to whomever they choose before each event and collect them back afterward.
While in the yellow level, spectators must have a "ticket" given to them by a participant to purchase entry to athletic facilities.
Should the situation worsen, the district might move to the orange level. If this happens, essential personnel will still be able to attend events, but each student participant will be limited to two spectators.
In the worst-case scenario, the red level, no activities will take place.
The district will re-evaluate the activity level each Monday.
To help reduce attendance, games, contests and performances will be livestreamed whenever possible. In-person spectators and fans are required to wear face coverings.