The shortage in COVID-19 testing supplies is causing local school districts, such as USD 253 Emporia, to begin planning for the possibility that the available stock msy soon run out.
In fact, USD 253 Emporia has now created a contingency plan for how to proceed with student and staff quarantines if testing supplies are not available. During the USD 253 Board of Education Meeting Wednesday, Interim Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Dr. Brad Kempf explained that the district will allow students or staff who can obtain a home test kit to utilize said kit at school under the direct observation of a trained staff member with the results of the test to be accepted by the district.
As it pertains to isolations or quarantines, if testing is not a viable option, the district will allow infected students or staff to return to school or work if they show improvement by day six of isolation with a doctor’s note. If they cannot obtain a doctor’s note with test results they will be required to complete the 10 day isolation period.
Dr. Kempf says the district doesn’t anticipate that supplies will run out completely at this time, however, he says it is important to have a plan in place in the event supplies all but vanish.
At this time, the district will not be altering any of its major mitigation strategies including universal masking in all buildings and district transportation. The USD 253 COVID-19 committee will reconvene next month.
In other business, the board received its latest update on assessment results through the district’s new Fastbridge assessment process which has replaced the former MAPS assessment this year. The tests are administered three times a year with Wednesday’s presentation, presented by the Teaching and Learning Department, focusing on data collected between the fall and winter tests for students in the low-risk and post-secondary ready levels.
According to the presentation, 66 percent of students demonstrated improvement between the Fall and Winter tests in math with 54 percent improving their scores but not enough to move to the next “risk level.” In reading, 59 percent improved their scores from Fall to Winter with 49 percent of students improving their score, but not enough to progress to the next level.
Interim Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Judy Stanley says overall students are showing significant improvement and explains that while some are not moving onto the next “risk level” that is not an inherently negative trend.
The district will administer its third Fastbridge assessment between April and May.
During the consent agenda portion of the meeting, Stanley was named the new Assistant Superintendent of Teaching Learning. Stanley will assume her new role in July.
In other business, the board also approved a bid for health insurance consultation services, reviewed remote learning policies presented by Stanley and held two executive sessions with no action taken following either.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 pm inside the Mary Herbert Education Center.
