Boyceville school board moves to adopt CDC’s five plus five plan
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BOYCEVILLE — With positive COVID cases and close contacts on the rise in recent weeks throughout area communities and school districts, concerns on how to deal with the virus and what mitigation steps might and should be taken filled a large portion of the Boyceville Board of Education’s January 12 meeting.
Concerns were raised at the start of the meeting as a pair of district residents addressed the board with their concerns.
April Stoveren, who is a mother of four children that attend Boyceville schools, a registered nurse and the district’s school nurse, was the first to speak during the visitors’ comments portion of the meeting.
“I’m here to be a voice for some of our staff, students and family members,” Stoveren began. “We need to find a balance between safety and education without jeopardizing the individuals’ health when they’re here at school.”
Stoveren noted that the area has seen a great increase in the number of COVID cases in the school and community in the past few weeks. She said that on January 6 of this year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidance for COVID-19 prevention in K through 12 schools with the safe return to in-person teaching being the primary goal of everyone.
But, to do it safely, Stoveren stated that the CDC encourages using multiple prevention strategies such as maintaining social distance of three feet when everyone is in a mask, or six feet when people are not masking. They also have recommend indoor masking by all regardless of vaccination status, along with hand washing, cleaning and disinfecting, and contact tracing in combination with quarantines and isolations.
“Staying home when sick and getting tested are highly recommended and are shown to be most effective in preventing transmission,” continued Stoveren.
She said that the CDC has recently adopted the Five Plus Five isolation guide which states that when a person tests positive they have to isolate for five days but could return to school or work on the sixth day if they have been fever-free for a 24-hour period without the use of medications and must wear a mask for the second, five-day period.
Stoveren, however, said in order for this to work people must follow the guidelines. She said there is concern among the staff and some family members that she has talked with about bringing back individuals that have tested positive on day six.
According to guidelines, those that test positive and are able to return on the sixth day are suppose to be wearing a tightly-fitted mask and wear it correctly at all times while in school. Stoveren had concerns if those guidelines would be enforced.
“The idea is to get the kids back as soon as we can, but we have to do it safely,” Stoveren said. “For our close contacts, I feel that they are our most high risk students that will be returning in our classrooms, and it is recommended that they get tested on day five, before they return. I am proposing that they have to get tested on day five before they return.”
Following Stoveren’s remarks, Heather Clark rose and spoke to members echoing many of he same concerns for the safety of staff and students.
The board would later have a lengthy discussion regarding COVID and mitigations strategies during its review of the 2021 Fall Opening Plan.
Under that plan those testing positive and close contacts were required to quarantine for seven to ten days before returning to school.
Following much debate, the board voted unanimously (5-0) to adopt the CDC’s Five Plus Five plan.
Member Amber Carlsrud, who had spoken about an option to reinstate a masking requirement during the board’s debate, eventually moved to implement mask use at Tiffany Creek Elementary as an added mitigation measure but the motion failed when no other board member seconded it.
In other business, the board presented with its 2020-2021 audit report. Joan Betz of Baker Tilly was in attendance to take members through an abbreviate two-page summary which should the district to be on solid financial ground.
Bonnie Barker, Director of Special Education and school psychologist, had her request to retire at the end of this school year approved. Barker has served the district for the past 12 years.
Finally, the board approved the district’s open enrollment space availability for the 2022-23. With the exception special education services, all grade levels had openings to accept additional students through open enrollment.
The Board next regular session is slated February 16.