NR-S board makes plans for students to return to school full-time

The New Rockford–Sheyenne Board of Education met on Monday, October 12 via Zoom to discuss the district’s responsibility to student education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current restart plan, which was adopted by the board at the beginning of the school year, has resulted in a vastly under-engaged student body. Secondary principal Avolt Baumbach explained that the plan’s goal was to reduce class size and accommodate the limited instructional capacities, but has produced some unintended consequences.

Baumbach explained that as the first quarter comes to a close, 37 high school students are collectively failing 83 classes.

Reintegration of the high school would mean students would be in attendance for full days, five days a week. The alternating group A/group B schedule that is currently in place allows students grades 8-12 to attend classes in-person every other day, giving teachers additional time to teach multiple sections. However, current trends in student engagement as well as the transmission of COVID-19 among high school students both beg for a change.

Board of education president Alyson Myhre invited members to share their insights and perspective as a way to initiate some discussion among the board members by asking two questions. First, how can the district can move forward with respect for student, staff and community safety. Second, how do we move forward with a respect for the integrity of high-quality learning and social fabric?

Board member Patti Larson of Sheyenne began by sharing a question she has been often asked by older folks in the community. Larson conveyed, “I am often asked, ‘why are students involved in playing and traveling for athletics when the COVID numbers are growing?’”

Larson also expressed concern that perhaps the district is “expecting too much from our teachers and students right now” and suggested that athletics may be an additional and unnecessary stress for students.

“I wish we could just press the pause button for six months and give students the time to learn the coping skills to deal with all this… We keep talking about going back to normal, but it just isn’t normal right now,” she concluded.

In response, several board members insisted that athletic practices and events were not the source of the recent outbreaks among the volleyball and football teams. Mike Schafer emphasized that very few of the community’s elders attend games and school events to know what protocols are being implemented. He later suggested the school could do better at communicating the details of the district’s athletic plan.

Largely, the board expressed support for a reintegration plan that maintains a robust cleaning schedule, as well as preemptive measures such as providing temperature checks, requiring double layer cloth masks and minimizing transmission through regular social distancing. The plan centered around the premise that students need to be in school. Even more, Principal Baumbach emphasized the importance of students working toward graduation.

Myhre, who had emphasized the important role of extracurriculars in motivating students, cited a recent article published in “The Atlantic”, in which 200,000 students in 47 states were studied upon reentry to the schools, and it was determined that kids are not the superspreaders as the transmission rates were far lower than expected.

On Thursday, October 9, Governor Doug Burgum announced that Eddy County had been elevated to a risk level of yellow due to the rapid transmission of COVID currently taking place in the community. Superintendent Jill Louters reported that to date 21 NR-S staff members have been out due to infection or potential exposure to COVID in the past month. Among students, 102 individuals have been quarantining after being named as close contacts.

As for the elementary, the current plan seems to be working. However, its ability to operate hinges on small groups and therefore, adequate staffing. For example, full integration of the high school would include a modified music program led by high school music instructor Annette Hovey. Currently, Hovey serves as a second teacher for the fifth-grade class. Removing Hovey from that position would mean either finding another instructor or housing all of the fifth grade students in one classroom. One negative effect of integrating the two classrooms would be very few mask breaks, as there isn’t enough space to socially distance that many students in one room.

Mike Jacobson made a motion to support the school administration in the decision to reintegrate 8-12 students to full in-person instruction by October 26, the beginning of the second quarter. Dave Holzwarth seconded the motion.

The discussion regarding integration was expected to continue among school administration and staff, on Friday, October 16.

In addition to reintegration, the board of education also approved the hire of two staff positions: a licensed school counselor and full-time math instructor. The counselor will provide student and community support in multiple areas including social skill development, mental health awareness, career planning, assessment and remedial service coordination.

The full time licensed math instructor will provide direct instruction in the high school.

The next school board meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.