Students being able to return to the classroom amid a pandemic is due to careful planning and a slew of new guidelines, all of which, so far, are being followed without complaint, as reported Monday at a Greenfield’s Board of Education meeting.
Greenfield Superintendent Quincey Gray had nothing but positives to report from the first week back at school, which was last week, with preschoolers starting back this week.
“We have one week down, and it was a really good one,” she said. She spoke about there being many positives and said that the administration and staff are excited to have students back in school.
Gray talked said that while there have had to be reminders to students at times to put their masks on, all students have been dutifully wearing their face coverings and doing well with following all the new rules.
Board member Eric Wise said he has heard the same from staff he has spoken with, adding that he thinks the kids are happy to be back.
Gray also thanked spectators at McClain’s first football game over the weekend who all followed the guidelines. Each participating student received a limited number of vouchers to share with family and/or friends to attend the game, which was not open to the public due to current precautions. However, the game was live-streamed, something that board members have received positive feedback about.
This coming Friday is Senior Night, Gray said. It will be its own separate event before the football game, and people with vouchers for the event will be able to start going into the stadium at 5 p.m.
In other business, Gray reported that a couple ongoing projects are wrapping up. One of those is the playground, which is nearly completed. The other is the track. Materials to finish that project are set to arrive next week while school is out for fair break.
In other school board matters, items approved on the consent agenda include the treasurer’s report for July and the resignation of Lynn Brown, special programs secretary, for the purpose of retirement effective in December. Gray extended appreciation to Brown for the contributions she has made to the district.
Employment recommendations as approved by the board were: Matthew Bateman, custodian; Harley Penwell, aide/monitor; Barbara Borreson, clerical, aide/monitor, cafeteria and custodial; Ashley Ary, aide/monitor; Steve Wise, bus driver; Mikel Pritchard, eighth grade girls basketball; and certified substitutes Amanda Adams, Cynthia Allen, Janet Barrett, Shannon Barton, Jolene Bass, Barbara Beam, Vincent Benton, Deborah Betts, Anna Black, Canaan Bobb, Bethany Calhoun, Timothy Campbell, Pamela Carson, Lana Cherrington, Michelle Cunningham, Delite Dodds, Rebecca Ebright, Steven Ezratty, Julie Fryman, Aimee Gaines, Jonathan Goddard, James Grandey, Madeleine Grandey, Sarah Gruber, Megan Halcomb, Charlie Hargrave, Jennifer Harris, Angela Holley, Teresa Hudnell, Jana Huff Daye, Paulette Justice, James Larkins, Jill Lee, Brooke Miller, Connie Miller, Judith Miller, Natalie Miller, Thomas Mitchell, Caleb Mootispaw, Travis O’Connor, Jamie Peabody, Katy Penwell, Mark Peters, Mary Peters, Matthew Peters, Rob Priest, Luis Rivas, LuAnn Roe, Glenna Rowe, Tammy Sexton, Angela Shepherd, Rhonda Simpson, Shawn Smith, Lee Snyder, Evelyn Stapleton, Joe Stewart, Larry Waugh, Dawn Crystal Waters, Christine Weller, John Welling, Joanne Whitley, Lisa Williams, Vanessa Wilt, Lisa Winland and Karen Yeager.
Angela Shepherd is a corespondent for the Greenfield Exempted Village School District.
