Phase three of USD 253’s COVID-19 education plan is now on hold until further notice.
During a special meeting Thursday evening the board voted unanimously to postpone moving into the next phase of its learning plan for the secondary level due to the sudden alarming rise in COVID-19 cases over the past week.
Thursday’s decision comes just eight days after a split decision by the board to approve phase three last Wednesday. That action went against a recommendation by the district’s COVID-19 advisory council and would have seen an increase from 25 to 50 percent of students — on top of the continuous cohort of students with special learning needs — attending in-person classes twice a week.
Art Gutirrez voted in favor of that motion last week and stated Thursday he still had confidence the district’s mitigation strategies are working. However; given the sudden rise in cases he could not continue to support his original decision.
Prior to these comments, Gutierrez proposed the possibility of the district developing a survey of some kind that can be sent out to district patrons that may assist the board when it comes to its decision making in the future.
Superintendent Kevin Case stated Thursday evening that staffing and substitute teacher availability are now amongst the ongoing list of concerns as the pandemic continues.
Board member Doug Epp, one of three individuals who voted against moving into phase three originally, says this a perfect example as to why the transition into phase three should be delayed.
Phase three will now be delayed until further action is taken by the board of Education. The district will now remain in phase two of the COVID-19 learning plan, meaning the district will continue to have its consistent on-site cohort of in-person students with specialized academic or social-emotional support needs who attend daily in-person classes. 25 percent of the remaining student population at Emporia Middle School and Emporia High will continue to attend in-person classes once a week.
Further discussions on the subject are likely to be a major focal point for the board of education’s next regularly scheduled meeting. That meeting will take place inside the Mary Herbert Education Center at 7 pm Wednesday and will be viewable on the district’s website.
