The Eureka Springs School district will enforce the same masking policy as last year. The state legislature had passed a law forbidding the imposition of a mask mandate, but a circuit judge set that law aside. The judge’s ruling is already under appeal, and the Arkansas Supreme Court could overturn that decision at any time. Supt. Bryan Pruitt said some school districts are not requiring masks, but children younger than 12 still cannot be vaccinated. “We want our kids safe, and we feel like we can keep them safe with our policies,” he said. The board will reconsider the mask mandate at each board meeting.
Principals prepared to play the year by ear
With the start of school a week away, the principals of the three schools did not have specific programs to discuss. Instead, they described preparations for another year of uncertainties due to Covid. High School Principal David Gilmore said protocols will be similar to last year. High school students are separated into two lunch periods, to avoid crowding. Classes can sometimes move to the auditorium or the Zoom room for additional space.
Middle School Principal Cindy Holt described a calm atmosphere, “even with all the uncertainties.” She said the staff will implement methods similar to last year, focusing on keeping kids on campus. “We want to get them here and keep them here,” she said.
The Elementary School reports a similar readiness. Many lower elementary students struggled with distance learning, making it especially important to keep them on site. Principal Clare Lesieur emphasized keeping a healthy staff. “If we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t take care of others,” she said. The elementary school will have three separate open house events this week, for pre-school, kindergarten, and grades 1-4.
While preparing for in-school teaching, the district must also have a plan in case the situation requires distance learning. The district is not currently offering a virtual learning plan for students, although if students start being quarantined, the school will have to reinstate the program. Students who wish to remain in distance learning can use an online program called Ingenuity through the school, but Pruitt said the school would review applications for that program. The school must pay $2,000 for each student enrolled in Ingenuity, and students who have already struggled with distance learning will not be good candidates.
“We’re especially concerned with the little ones, and teaching them to read,” Pruitt said, as he explained the commitment to in-person learning.
In other business:
- The annual audit has been completed, with no adverse findings. Pruitt referred to McGarrah, and said auditors “regularly compliment Pam for the job she does.”
- The board must annually review its fiscal operations policy, clarifying its business procedures. The policy is on the district website.
- The board approved a $200 payment for any current school employee who has been vaccinated for Covid. Those who take the first shot before Sept. 1 will also qualify for the stipend. Pruitt said 70 percent of the faculty has been vaccinated, and the district does not require vaccinations for employees.