With around 25 staff members out of school any given day and a shortage of substitutes daily, superintendent Tim Davis said at Monday’s Hillsboro Board of Education meeting that “as you can imagine, it’s been a difficult go.”
But he said student attendance has been good, and for the time being at least, the school district plans to keep classrooms open to students.
As of Monday, Davis said Hillsboro had two elementary students with active COVID-19 cases, plus a total of six staff members with the virus — four in the elementary school and two in the high school/middle school. He added that 64 students were in quarantine, including 29 from the elementary, eight from the middle school, and 27 from the high school.
“But they’re not all school-related,” Davis said. “Some students have parents that have it and some have siblings that have it. Our numbers look very good.”
He said that was a testament to parents making sure their children follow the safety measures, and the efforts of the entire district staff.
“Right now were going to continue where we’re going,” he said.
In the event that the virus situation worsens, Davis said the school district has a virtual learning plan in place for the high school and middle school, and it is actively working on a plan for the elementary.
He also said district staff members have spent a lot of time contact tracing and arranging bus seating charts to make things as safe as possible.
“Winter sports are starting back up, which is going to be a challenge being indoors…” Davis said. “It’s a constant challenge and right now I can’t say enough about how our staff and students are doing.”
In other matters, Davis said there has been a delay in opening Everetts Way, the new road that will link the high school/middle school to SR 247. He said that is because the school district is awaiting approval from the Ohio Department of Transportation on an extension of the school zone on SR 247.
But he also said the delay has not been a completely bad thing, because it will likely make paving the area around the new auditorium, and some other areas, more easy to coordinate.
He said progress continues with the auditorium and that current plans are for it to be finished by the third week in January.
A long list of supplemental contracts were approved by the board Monday. They include: Tim Bell, reserve softball; Melissa Boysel, Camp Joy coordinator; Gary Breeden, assistant high school softball; Marcus Burns, assistant boys varsity basketball; Miles Burton, boys varsity basketball; Amy Captain, assistant high school basketball cheerleading; Jordan Clark, District Leadership Council; Aaron Chaney, middle school student council advisor; Amy Craig, high school Quick Recall advisor; Scott Eastes, eighth grade wrestling; Chad Fields, varsity girls basketball; Jacob Fouch, freshman boys basketball; Jason Fox, District Leadership Council; Matt Garman, varsity baseball/District Leadership Council; Jarrod Hart, eighth grade boys basketball; Nathan Horne, District Leadership Council; Ethan Hurtt, assistant boys track; Carey Juillerat, middle school girls basketball/National Junior Honor Society; Sawyer Hooper Knutsson, reserve girls basketball; Phil Loudin, seventh grade boys basketball; Teresa Marion, varsity swimming; Bud Marsh, boys varsity track; Jennifer Maurer, assistant middle school basketball cheerleading; Tayler Middleton, varsity basketball cheerleading; Ben Miller, reserve baseball/District Leadership Council; Catherine Moberly, varsity softball; Jessica Molyet, assistant girls track; Greg Rhoads, varsity wrestling; Susan Rhoads, District Leadership Council; Duston Richards, assistant varsity baseball; Nathan Rutledge, middle school girls basketball; Dan Snapp, varsity boys bowling; Rob Snavely, varsity girls track; Clyde Snow, reserve boys basketball; Lucia Tomko, varsity girls bowling; Larue Turner, varsity boys tennis; Toby Warrington, assistant wrestling; Wyatt Wilkin, seventh grade wrestling; Michele Williams, Camp Joy coordinator; Brandon Wilson, assistant baseball.
Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522.
