Multiple teachers and parents were in attendance. 
No one chose to comment prior to Board discussion.

Stephanie Mathers reviewed the plan presented to the Board based on the USBE required school reopening plan. 
The plan includes specifics regarding multiple aspects of reopening school.
The State requirement left the school schedule up individual districts/LEAs.
Bill Davis reviewed the process for consideration of the Administration and Board sub-committee.
During discussions the needs of teachers, students and families were considered.
We are a safe haven for many students. 
UEA suggested that there be a delayed start to school. A delayed start could give us more time to prepare teachers and prepare for remote learning. There are many factors that would need to be considered such as teacher contracts, school days and hours requirements. 
We will continue discussion with the assumption that we will open on time.

Reopening Schedule:

• Approximately 30% of families chose to begin learning online. This allows for increased physical distancing for those attending in person.
• Molly Ward estimates that 25% of families who chose staggered attendance would move to online based on sibling choice.
• Proposed schedule:
  • Elementary: 30% students online; 70% in person daily
  • Junior High: 30% students online; 70% in person - Staggered schedule through October 2. 
• Board Members input:
  • Tyler D'Hulst started indecisive; his children are currently set to go in person. Staggered needs to be united by family. 
  • Nick Bowsher was in favor for reopening, but has reconsidered. He is concerned about an OPA community member becoming infected and dying. Would be more comfortable with 30% in person and 70% online based on need. He commended OPA staff for their work during the Spring closure. He is confident that teachers can support the online option. Students cannot be prevented from physical contact.
  • Sara Mejeur has been indecisive. Parents can choose in person and switch to online if needed. Concerned about distancing capabilities. Students need consistency. Would like to see something that is sustainable.
  • Stefanie Zwygart will be sending her children daily. Many essential workers need to have school or daycare. School is preferable. She is concerned about the virus and keeping people safe. Keep groups small to increase contact tracing. Elementary teachers have reported that they can put 6 feet between students for 15 students, so 18 is reasonable. At the Junior High it is more difficult to contact trace and contain quarantine needs. Is in support of a staggered schedule at the Junior High. Concerned about families who don't have child care. 
  • Bill Davis has had conflicting thoughts. He was in support of having the 70% coming to school daily. Then supported the staggered schedule at the Junior High. Then thought K-9 staggered would be best. Now he isn't sure that is the best at this point. He is now supporting the proposed schedule. We should support online agenda regardless of cost. 
  • Molly Ward is concerned about families whose children will be at home alone, and/or the students can't get here to get their food. Molly supports the 5 days/week at the Junior High. Molly believes the families who selected staggered may go to online, thus reducing the numbers of in person students even more. Staggered teaching is not easy. We will work to make it better; however, it will not be easy. We need to be careful with cleaning.

Online Platform:
Teryl discussed the online platform. Feedback from teachers indicates that teaching in person and online. We are working on getting an online platform. Anyone requesting an online education, will be placed on an online platform for the 1st semester. Teachers will be asked to contact the students to some level to include them in the classroom. Teachers would be teaching any in-person students in quarantine remotely.
Stephanie Mathers explained that at the Junior High the online students would be in an online platform. Student in person would be taught by teachers whether staggered or in quarantine. 

It was asked if we could have teachers move classrooms in the JH instead of the students. We aren't sure how that would be scheduled. 

Remote only is the safest; however, we feel a staggered schedule is a good compromise. 

Bill Davis encouraged feedback from the community on how the plan is going. This is a 6-week plan, and will be reassessed along the way.

We expect we will lose students regardless of our choice. We need to make it safe for our students and staff. 
American Pediatrics Society: The risk to children from the virus is less than the risks of the effects from not having school.

The risk seems to be greatest in family groups where masks aren't worn. 

Public Comment:

• Steven Davis, Elementary PE teacher: his children are in OSD and will be doing online school. He knows our students need to be here. If students are going outside, we may need additional supplies for outside activities. He can do intra-murals outside. 
• Janet Scalise, Elementary Kindergarten teacher: a couple considerations with kindergarteners. Has scheduled testing, so delayed start will be an issue. The Kinder classrooms are small, so social distancing is difficult. Kindergarten had mixed results for family engagement in the Spring. Students had difficulty with remote learning. The majority of the time was spent training parents on programs. Need a plan for how to help parents support their students. 
• Cami Parry, Math specialist/coach: Children need to be kids and to be safe. She doesn't want the kids to be traumatized more by coming back and not being safe. Educators being scared will increase student trauma. She thinks students need to come back. 
• Darby Evans, JH Special Education Coordinator: her classroom is very small. She can only physical distance 4 students in her class. There is fear. Her husband is a high school teacher. She is caring for elderly parents. It is a risk to the teachers and their families. Would prefer the online, but would be able to support the staggered even though it is scary. Second wave in other countries is linked to going back to school.
• Joshua Hoopes, ELA teacher: husband works at treatment center, so he has to consider what his return will do to his husband's student. He has brought in information on child care assistance offerings. Is a proponent of online or staggered start. If he can't come to school, his department would have to pick up the slack of his absence. He is terrified to come back. He has the option to go to a more secure facility if necessary. 
• Camie Walker, 5th grade teacher: trained in many schools, OPA is unique. What keeps her here: diversity, equity, Spanish, Summer lunch quality, Teryl is supportive, Administration is accessible. We have a community. Never had so much support at any other school. She loves the parents and students. She is scared of losing our community. Faculty is scared, the kids are scared. Daughter has COVID, but will be fine. Emotional relationships are the most important. Small groups will be helpful. Other schools are recruiting our students. We can use this sense of community to build a stronger school. We have to be strategic. We can do this safely. We have to smaller classes and systems in place. We need online systems in place. We can build relationships online. We have to focus on both elements to maintain the community. We can't focus on academics, we have to focus on relationships. Need to make sure supports are in place. No upstairs bathroom for teachers at Elementary. No specials = no prep. Be proactive with plans in place. We are getting there. Thanked the Board for being honest and open and helpful and giving her hope. We need to social/emotional teach. Academics will come.
• Chantel Stapely, parent: 1 child thrived, and 1 did not. Both good student normally. Online doesn't work for everyone. She doesn't care if it is reduced, but the students need in person teaching. She is cautious. She is concerned about what it will look like when we come back. How will it be handled with students who don't care. 
• Natalie Goeckeritz, parent (OPA employee): Online was not good, because she wasn't motivated. Her child needs in person. Beneficial to do staggered days for JH. Need a balance of staggered and in person to support all students. 
• Sarah Gonzales, ELA teacher: thinks our concern is if OPA will survive financially. State representative has hope in OPA. We need to compromise. Staggered learning is good for JH. She has no experience with Elementary, so she is not speaking for them. She understands that child care is an issue. She doesn't think remote or daily is the answer. 
• Jessica Howell, parent: works for weber health department. has 5 children. online was inconsistent. As a parent, it was very difficult to navigate the system. Should have a meeting with the online parents to help them understand the expectations and how to navigate the issues. Has diverse children. Staggered will work for JH. Elementary needs to be in class. Expectations for online is essential. Need long term objective and what the wiggle room is, so parents can navigate. Has lots of materials at the health department to help navigate the after affects of someone testing positive. Coming back to school can be done safely. 
• Tasha Gonce, 6th grade teacher: understands that we need to be safe. Understands that teachers and students are human. Is it OK for students to be confined to a class all day. Need to consider their ability to move throughout the day. What does the teacher schedule look like, when do they get breaks? Kids may now know what coming back looks like. We need to make sure we think about mental health and not just physical safety. 

Public Comment:

• Steven Davis, Elementary PE teacher: his children are in OSD and will be doing online school. He knows our students need to be here. If students are going outside, we may need additional supplies for outside activities. He can do intra-murals outside. 
• Janet Scalise, Elementary Kindergarten teacher: a couple considerations with kindergarteners. Has scheduled testing, so delayed start will be an issue. The Kinder classrooms are small, so social distancing is difficult. Kindergarten had mixed results for family engagement in the Spring. Students had difficulty with remote learning. The majority of the time was spent training parents on programs. Need a plan for how to help parents support their students. 
• Cami Parry, Math specialist/coach: Children need to be kids and to be safe. She doesn't want the kids to be traumatized more by coming back and not being safe. Educators being scared will increase student trauma. She thinks students need to come back. 
• Darby Evans, JH Special Education Coordinator: her classroom is very small. She can only physical distance 4 students in her class. There is fear. Her husband is a high school teacher. She is caring for elderly parents. It is a risk to the teachers and their families. Would prefer the online, but would be able to support the staggered even though it is scary. Second wave in other countries is linked to going back to school.
• Joshua Hoopes, ELA teacher: husband works at treatment center, so he has to consider what his return will do to his husband's student. He has brought in information on child care assistance offerings. Is a proponent of online or staggered start. If he can't come to school, his department would have to pick up the slack of his absence. He is terrified to come back. He has the option to go to a more secure facility if necessary. 
• Camie Walker, 5th grade teacher: trained in many schools, OPA is unique. What keeps her here: diversity, equity, Spanish, Summer lunch quality, Teryl is supportive, Administration is accessible. We have a community. Never had so much support at any other school. She loves the parents and students. She is scared of losing our community. Faculty is scared, the kids are scared. Daughter has COVID, but will be fine. Emotional relationships are the most important. Small groups will be helpful. Other schools are recruiting our students. We can use this sense of community to build a stronger school. We have to be strategic. We can do this safely. We have to smaller classes and systems in place. We need online systems in place. We can build relationships online. We have to focus on both elements to maintain the community. We can't focus on academics, we have to focus on relationships. Need to make sure supports are in place. No upstairs bathroom for teachers at Elementary. No specials = no prep. Be proactive with plans in place. We are getting there. Thanked the Board for being honest and open and helpful and giving her hope. We need to social/emotional teach. Academics will come.
• Chantel Stapely, parent: 1 child thrived, and 1 did not. Both good student normally. Online doesn't work for everyone. She doesn't care if it is reduced, but the students need in person teaching. She is cautious. She is concerned about what it will look like when we come back. How will it be handled with students who don't care. 
• Natalie Goeckeritz, parent (OPA employee): Online was not good, because she wasn't motivated. Her child needs in person. Beneficial to do staggered days for JH. Need a balance of staggered and in person to support all students. 
• Sarah Gonzales, ELA teacher: thinks our concern is if OPA will survive financially. State representative has hope in OPA. We need to compromise. Staggered learning is good for JH. She has no experience with Elementary, so she is not speaking for them. She understands that child care is an issue. She doesn't think remote or daily is the answer. 
• Jessica Howell, parent: works for weber health department. has 5 children. online was inconsistent. As a parent, it was very difficult to navigate the system. Should have a meeting with the online parents to help them understand the expectations and how to navigate the issues. Has diverse children. Staggered will work for JH. Elementary needs to be in class. Expectations for online is essential. Need long term objective and what the wiggle room is, so parents can navigate. Has lots of materials at the health department to help navigate the after affects of someone testing positive. Coming back to school can be done safely. 
• Tasha Gonce, 6th grade teacher: understands that we need to be safe. Understands that teachers and students are human. Is it OK for students to be confined to a class all day. Need to consider their ability to move throughout the day. What does the teacher schedule look like, when do they get breaks? Kids may now know what coming back looks like. We need to make sure we think about mental health and not just physical safety. 

Bill trusts that plans will be put in place to address concerns and balance the needs. 
We know that at home options need to be quality for the staggered to work. The success in the spring was various depending on class, teacher, and parent involvement. We have put requirements into place to manage the classes blended learning. 
May need to consider using classrooms at the junior high for elementary. Need more detail worked out. 
Need to go back to parents and present plan. Encourage online learning where possible. 
Need to be prepared to discipline students who are unwilling to comply with the necessary precautions. 

Most community attendees left. 

Third party contract. They lost one school from the cohort, so our cost increased.

Stephanie Mathers discussed the AVID officer training with Board to elicit concerns and comments if needed. 
No Board objection to numbers below 10.

Discussed leaving the state or the country. Development committee will determine a proposal for next board meeting.

CO detectors are required to be installed and linked to current fire system. Fire marshal has found us non compliant and has required it to be installed. 
Board recommends we wait a year as long as we aren't fined. Andrew will get more information from the fire marshal. Talk to Firetrol and see what negotiations can be made. Will revisit in August. Board is concerned about liability with current knowledge.
Vendors are willing to work nights and weekends.