USD 253 Emporia Public Schools is seeking a new team member focused on alleviating COVID-19 related stress on district nurses and health staff.
USD 253 School Board members unanimously approved the posting of a job description for a district contact tracer and tester. USD 253 Interim Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Brad Kempf says the individual chosen to serve in this role will oversee day-to-day testing and will provide support for both positive patients and identified close contacts among other duties deemed necessary to their position.
Kempf says they hope to have a candidate identified quickly at a time where infections and isolations are at an all-time high within the district.
The district is hoping to hire three-full time tracers with salaries to be funded through state allocations. Kempf says salaries for the position will be funded by COVID-19 relief allocations from the state and he anticipates the district should have enough money to fund the positions for at least the next three years.
Board President Art Gutierrez says he is hopeful the new position will help to reduce the amount of strain and burnout on district staff. He says while the district is doing its part to help limit the spread of COVID within school buildings, he hopes local community members and leadership will also take steps to help limit spread amid the ongoing COVID spike.
Interested applicants can find the job description online at USD253.org.
In other business, the board also gave unanimous approval for the official launch of education redesign efforts within Walnut Elementary School as part of the Kansans Can Apollo II redesign cohort. Walnut began piloting redesign initiatives back in February of 2020 after approval by School Board Members.
Principal Jamie Dakin says the pilot efforts have become the norm for staff and students over the past year and she is excited that it will stay the norm following Wednesday’s approval. Gutierrez took time to Wednesday note that Walnut’s redesign is completely unique from all other redesign schools within the district.
Dakin says that was by design.
In addition to the official redesign launch, Walnut will also be receiving updated roofing after board members approved a $300,000 bid to replace a portion of the schools roof over the coming summer. The cost will be covered through the district’s capital outlay fund.
In separate business, board members also received the latest Building for the Future update from McCownGordon Construction and approved enrollment course catalogs for Emporia Middle School and Emporia High. In reorganization matters, the board chose to extend the terms of President Art Guttierez and Vice- President Leslie Seeley for the coming year in addition to establishing the 2022 board meeting schedule and appointed members to various community boards.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 pm inside the Mary Herbert Education Center.
