The Moniteau County R-1 School District Board of Education met Dec. 16, discussing resignations, new hires and the coronavirus.
The meeting started off with the board accepting resignations from Barbara Gillilan, a pre-K paraprofessional; Jenna McCumber, a cook; and Derek Scroggins, head football coach at California High School.
The board then approved the district's 2019-20 audit. The district received a "clean," or "unmodified" opinion, which is the best opinion an auditor can provide an organization.
Representatives from Insite Design Studio, the architectural firm hired for California's bond issue projects; GBH Builders, general contractors; and McKinstry; the firm overseeing the district's guaranteed performance contract, were in attendance to share progress on the facility improvement projects. Beside a few adjustments to the HVAC equipment in various locations throughout the district and some lighting adjustments in the California Performing Arts Center, all work related to the guaranteed performance contract is complete. On the bond issue side, work continues to progress at the elementary and middle schools with the new addition.
After that, the board discussed the modified quarantine guidelines outlined earlier this month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Dec. 2, the CDC approved reducing the amount of time one is required to quarantine from 14 days to 10 days for close contacts and also approved close contacts being able to test out of quarantine after seven days with a negative test result. The Moniteau County Health Center approved allowing students to reduce their quarantine as a close contact from 14 to 10 days, but students would have to wear a mask the entire time they are at school during days 11 through 14 when they would have still been quarantined under the old guidance.
The board decided to approve the modification of the quarantine guidelines, allowing students in sixth through twelfth grade to attend school while wearing a mask during days 11-14 with parent approval. No changes will be implemented at the elementary.
Paid COVID-19 leave for staff members established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act will also be extended for district employees. The original legislation has an expiration date of Dec. 31, but the board approved continuing to offer all district employees COVID-19 leave hours consistent with the mandate established by the FFCRA after the new year.
The district will restart the leave Jan. 4, and each employee will be eligible for the same amount of hours they were eligible for during the first semester. The approved extension will go through the end of second semester but will not include summer school.
Along those lines, the board approved Dead Week for next summer as June 26 through July 4, if COVID-19 allows.
Next semester, there will be a few new faces in the district. The board approved the following hires: Elizabeth Keeler as a full-time cook starting Jan. 5; Barbara Pickering as the Central Office Administrative Assistant; and Danielle Wood and Linda Stoaks as middle school reading teachers starting Jan. 4.
Finally, the board also approved contract renewals for the head coaches of the fall high school programs, beside football: Kenny Goans for cross county, Ashley Atteberry for girls golf, Steve Stock for softball and Julie Bailey for volleyball.
The Moniteau County R-1 School District Board of Education's next regular meeting is set for Jan. 20.