NEW BLOOMFIELD -- The New Bloomfield R-3 School District Board of Education decided to move the district into the red phase of its Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service Plan, the board announced Thursday.
In this phase, there is a large uncontrolled transmission within the school community and all students will learn virtually from home.
Members looked at the new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for students who test positive for COVID-19. Those new guidelines allow a student who tests positive to quarantine for five days instead of 10 as long as the student has no symptoms or their symptoms are resolving, and they wear a mask when around others for five additional days.
The board chose to amend their Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity Plan of Service to follow the CDC guidelines.
In other business, the board:
• Looked at entering into an energy program with Hamlin Energy for co-op purchasing for gas.
• Approved the district calendar for spring 2022-23, passing with a 5-2 vote with Craig Abbott and Josh Woods voting against.
• Reviewed the Comprehensive School Improvement Plan.
The board decided to table approval of the curriculum for elementary and high school untill next month so members have more time to look over the content.
Board members heard program evaluation reports about Title I Communication Arts and Mathematics from Bridget Maddox and Megan Clinton.
Title I continues to use the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills eighth edition assessment for reading benchmarks in grades K-6 with progress monitoring in grades K-5.
The district purchased a new math series called Bridges in Mathematics for grades K-5. They are seeing a greater understanding of number sense in students, especially in the work stations and number corner pieces of the series. Students are able to discuss their understanding of math concepts in a deeper way compared to previous math series.
Special Education Director Amy Parker informed the board about the Special Education Program. It has six special education teachers, five paraprofessionals and two interpreters as well, as a teacher of the hearing impaired, a speech language pathologist, an occupational therapist and a physical therapist.
There are 92 children in the program, which is about 12 percent of the total student population.
Their goals are to increase student interaction and knowledge of transition services from high school to college or the workforce through their relationship with vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, interest/aptitude assessments and taking students on college visits.
They want to increase the number of special education students who are basic and above on the MAP and EOC testing as shown by the end of year data and maintain a healthy dropout rate of less than five percent.
New Bloomfield Middle and High School Principal Paul Cloudwright and Elementary Principal Jennifer Fletcher gave the board a monthly report on enrollment, attendance, professional development, other news and recognition.
The elementary will host a Kindergarten Round Up on Feb. 24. Kindergarten teachers will meet incoming students and their families to share information about Kindergarten Academy. They will do assessments that will help staff get to know the students, and work on what school routines and procedures are.
At the middle and high school, Jim Marshall from Cody's Gift will conduct an assembly Wednesday about drugs and suicide ideation.
Superintendent Sarah Wisdom informed the board the next PIE event will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 16 at the elementary school. The event will showcase the newly reorganized PAT program and Little Cats Preschool.
The board chose Hutchinson Recreation and Design as the vendor for the district's playground update. The next step will be to get the playground committee together to work on a final design.
The elementary gym floor project is moving forward. Contractors cut a section into the existing floor to get a better look at what is underneath to provide the board with a better quote. The piece of flooring that was removed was replaced.
The next school board meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 in the central office boardroom.