With the recent extension of school closures setting the earliest return date as May 1, the Creston Community School District school board voted to provide a pandemic pay resolution for staff Monday evening during a special board meeting held over a video conference call.
“As the world, country and state continue to adjust to the changing impacts on society, it is important that the district focuses on the care of our people,” said CCSD school board president Galen Zumbach.
The action would support employees throughout the suspension in an effort to minimize the hardship and provide relief.
“If the Governor comes back at the end of April and says we need to go back, I will go back to the school board with another solution,” said CCSD Superintendent Deron Stender.
Before its approval, the board discussed actions teachers have taken in an effort to maintain relationships with students despite the closure.
“My son just now got off a Zoom meeting,” said board member Dr. Brad James. “His teacher had been working from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in a Zoom meeting with the entire class. To hear that interaction ... the happiness in his voice and the smile on his face was well worth it on all levels.”
Others highlighted actions include online band practices, voluntary book clubs for the junior high students and basic contact with as many students as possible.
“About 100% of our students are being reached in some way, shape or form,” said Stender. “Those who do not have the technology have been receiving packets or phone calls. There is direct contact engagement between all of our teachers and our students.”
Stender went on to explain what circumstances could cause a student to be harder to contact.
“Some families are still working,” said Stender. “So when our teachers are working during the contracted time, the parents are still working and the students wouldn’t have the means to take a phone call.”
After the discussion, member Don Gee moved to approve the pandemic pay resolution, with James seconding the motion. The measure passed with a unanimous vote of 5-0.
In other school board news, the board:
• unanimously approved the FY 2020-2021 budget, with things such as income surtax amounts not being finalized until later in the spring.
• unanimously approved the technology proposal supporting an upgrade to the district’s access points and network. The purchase is budgeted at $58,400 and will be funded by the FY20 SAVE/PPEL.
• discussed the financial efffect of COVID-19 to the district. Currently, the revenue stream from the state and property taxes will stay the same, with cost saving in expenses regarding transportation and utilities. At this time, the district is uncertain on how it may affect the FY21 school year.