Pomeroy Schools meeting challenge of reopening

POMEROY– Since in-person classes began on August 31, 2020, students and staff are meeting the challenge of following the new safety requirements and guidelines, Pomeroy School District Superintendent Rachel Gwinn said in updating the School Board (PSD) at the meeting on Sept. 28, 2020.

Gwinn stated teachers are balancing teaching students in the classroom as well as those participating in distance learning.

The elementary school has 15 distance learners, and the junior high/high school has six. Students who have the appropriate skills and experience with Google classrooms are doing well, but others are still struggling to master it. New students enrolling in the district are, in some cases, having to wait for in-person instruction due to lack of space in the classroom caused by distancing restrictions.

Junior high and high school students are being encouraged to eat lunch outdoors, or leave campus for lunch. However, with unfavorable weather conditions lurking in the future, more space will need to be created indoors to accommodate them and keep them spaced apart. The district is relying on the advice of the Garfield County Health District for how to handle students who become ill.

The current enrollment is 311, which does not include the 21 distance learners, or new students waiting to be enrolled. The budget was based on an enrollment of 290. If the school board had not chosen to support the distance learners, the district would be facing a budget deficit. Several new families have moved into the community, coming from various places, and have been asked to quarantine for two weeks before enrolling.

The School Board approved Resolution No. 298, Policy 1321R for District Reopening-Suspension of Policy. This is the same resolution that was approved last spring after the district was closed by state mandate, which had expired. It allows the superintendent to make decisions and change policies when made necessary under the pandemic state of emergency through the end of 2020.

Gwinn presented the Superintendent's Three-Year Plan to the Board, which outlines progress on goals that were set for the 2019–20 school year, and goals for the current 2020–21 year, and the following year, 2021–22. The plan reported for 2019–20 that the elementary school met their goals by becoming a School-Wide Title 1 Program, implementing a new math curriculum, growing in knowledge and skills for being trauma-informed, and continuing to support and encourage self-care of staff.

Another goal was to meet the Kindergarten through third grade 17 to 1 staffing ratio. No progress was noted for this goal. The junior high/high school goals indicated progress towards growth in Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs with the Business and Family and Consumer Science programs going full-time.

To meet the goal of developing a more comprehensive program for Special Education, they achieved more stability with utilizing Kelly Knebel as a full-time Special Education teacher. No progress was noted for the third goal of aligning a more comprehensive focus for science.

Facility goals were the installation of an underground sprinkler system at the track and football field, which was accomplished in the summer of 2019. However, bleachers for the guest side of the field are still needed. In addition, the playground fence at the elementary school was replaced, and a security camera system was installed, which were not part of the original goals.

Other district goals were to improve technology for the district, which was accomplished by hiring a full-time IT Administrator, Greg Sharp.

For the 2020–21 school year, Gwinn's plan includes a technology focus at the elementary level by meeting the goal of having a Chromebook for every student, and a google classroom established for each class. To date, 90 Chromebooks have been purchased, and 50 more will be ordered. There may be some funding available through the state, and an additional $1,500 offered from Pomeroy Assist. Other plans are to close the achievement gaps created by the school closure, support distance learning, and planning for the implementation of Transitional Kindergarten to begin in the 2021–22 school year. The junior and the senior high school plans to implement google classrooms and also support distance learning.

The next meeting of the Pomeroy School District Board will be Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020, at 6 p.m. The school board meets in the Shepherd Room of the Elementary School.