Resident questions quarantine rules in Rib Lakes School District
EMILY GOJMERAC
REPORTER
A village resident came to last week’s Rib Lake School Board meeting with questions about how COVID-19 quarantines are being handled.
Mindy Martin has four children in the Rib Lake School District and made the following statement: “I would like to address the current policy on quarantining students and staff, and ask you to consider the following questions as you formulate the best plan for our district (Please keep in mind, I am asking this for those who have had “healthy students” in quarantine, not those home due to that fact they are awaiting a covid test, and/or live with household members currently dealing with the virus and thus are exposed).
1. Have Quarantines been effective? From reviewing each health update sent out from the district, I have counted a total of 214 quarantines (this does not count the 15 or so students currently in quarantine in Mrs. Joelle Scheithauer’s MWF 4K class). Knowing that some of these numbers may include a student more than once, it’s interesting to see that of the 527 enrolled students, we have seen almost half of the student population kept from attending school in person over a period of 10 days. I would like to know, of the 214 quarantined, how many healthy students actually contracted the virus? Especially if they previously had COVID & recovered (those outside the 90 day window set by the CDC). I personally know of one student who contracted COVID at school through a close contact, and that student had never had COVID prior. Is there such a number to go by....how many students contracted COVID from a result of being in school?
2. What Undue Stress is this quarantine policy causing on Teachers, Administration, parents and the students themselves (again, I note: I am speaking on quarantining those who are healthy, or previously had covid and recovered.... and are outside the 90 day window)? I have subbed in class rooms where whole pods are out.....4-6 students gone for a 10 day window. What kind of stress does this place on their teacher? Much is taught precept upon precept. Hw is a teacher to manage bringing students to expected standards, see goals met, when they are constantly needing to bring students who are behind due to quarantines (while not hindering those who are in class)? It would be valuable to hear from teachers on how this is going for them? The quarantined students? The students not quarantined? How about the administration? Needing to find subs? When substitute teachers can’t help because they have a child in quarantine? How about parents who have full time work schedules? What about students who fear falling behind, struggle when not in person or don’t have healthy homes to begin with to have prolonged time alone? Which is worse? Having Covid or the snowballing effects of quarantining?
3. Is our school community actually concerned of contracting the virus still? If you surveyed our parents, would they agree to a 10 day quarantine for a child who already recovered from the virus (and are past the 90 day window)? It would be interesting to know, of our 527 enrolled students, what percentage have recovered from the virus and it’s not a concern anymore? Do events like Brandy Schafer’s benefit at Zondlo’s show us that we are concerned of crowds, socially distancing and getting the virus? What about last week’s boys basketball game against Phillips? The Pre-k Holiday Concert? How many students actually wear masks? Why are we following guidelines set by the Health Department, when our community is living life based on what they believe is the best quality of life? Why should our kids suffer? And is this just the beginning of the Health Departments telling schools how to operate? How do you as a board draw a line and say, “That is not going to be the ‘mandate’ here, that’s not how our school operates.”
4. Lastly, and I believe the most important: What are we teaching this generation of kids? We need to be safe? Safety is the most important? To fear their peers as they might get quarantined (resulting in not able to play at their concert or sports game)? To fear a virus that in most cases is mild in their age range. That it’s normal to not have to go to work for 10 days even though you are healthy? Is this the Rib Lake Way? Are we building a Culture of Champions? Or are we showing them that it is more important to “play it safe.” What are we instilling in our kids? And will the vision of the School District of Rib Lake which is: that every student will develop a passion for learning and graduate with skills and knowledge to achieve personal success be robbed for the sake of “being safe.” I do fear that our kids are being primed to fear and that it’s okay to give up rights for the sake of “safety.”
Thank you for considering these questions as you process your decision on our school’s quarantine policy.”
In other business: Getting items for the lunches are getting harder to receive. Lunch schedule changes are happening frequently.
Scholarship revisions have been approved. They will go into effect in the fall of 2022 so the class of 2023 can have the full potential of the scholarships. Current scholarships are still in place for the class of 2022 scholarship recipients.
Fifteen new football helmets will be ordered for the middle school football teams due to the life expectancy being expired. Five helmets will be bought for the high school football team. Eight games have been scheduled for 11-man football. Middle school games are scheduled to be either 8 or 11-man teams.
A committee will be formed to decide if the football co-op between Prentice and Rib Lake will continue in the coming years. The fall of 2022, co-op will still continue.
A $6,000 discount was given to replace the middle school gym floor.
Fiberoptic cable is going to be installed this year at the school. A conference call will be held on Wednesday December 15 to discuss it. Worst case scenario it won’t be completed until summer. Funds will come from the COVID relief money.
Gary Polacek has retired from the Building and Groundskeeper position. Applications are currently being accepted for Polacek’s replacement.
Hall of Fame applications are currently being accepted. Hall of Fame applications will be directly mailed to community members to reach more responses.
District report cards exceed the state’s expectations.
Current COVID policies will remain in place where the kids can come back on day 8, if they have a negative test. Parents can continue to keep their kids home for 14 days, if they wish.
Record keeping flex time will be granted to staff until the end of the school year. For example: If a teacher would like to enter grades at their home, they are able to do so, instead of driving into the school.
School Nurse Report
Signs of Suicide (SOS) training has continued for grades 7-12. Positive feedback has been given.
Wellness Committee met and they will be starting some staff challenges in 2022.
Safety Committee is meeting next week and they have 15 new staff that have been trained with the exposure control. Immunization compliant for the school, almost 100% compliant.
CPR certifications have been updated. Flu shots and COVID boosters were delivered by the health department last week.
Three positive COVID cases have been documented since the start of the school year.
Maris Pernsteiner, school nurse said “I’m excited to help the kids even if it is with a simple band-aid.”
