The Fieldcrest Board of Education approved a Re-Opening Resolution at their meeting Wednesday night at the Fieldcrest HS gymnasium in Minonk. The Resolution contains the conditions for re-opening and also authorizes the Superintendent to revert to Remote Learning for all students if conditions exist that requires action to protect and preserve the health and safety conditions of the students.
The main topic was the discussion of The Return to Learn Plan. School is scheduled to start Thursday, August 20. School will start at the normal time but dismissal will be at 1:00 pm for the first month. Fieldcrest Superintendent Dr. Kari Rockwell said The Return to Learn document is fluid and will change based on multiple factors to include IDPH, ISBE, and CDC guidelines. She said the Fieldcrest approved plan will be released Friday or Saturday along with IHSA information.
The plan spells out the social distancing requirements such as requiring students and staff to wear masks. Dr. Rockwell said "This is a learning experience for all and we will work together to help our students and staff."
Seating in classrooms will be 6 feet apart and students will not be allowed to share equipment or other materials. Temperature checks will be made on all who enter a school building and anyone having a temperature greater than 100.4 or showing symptoms of the COVID-19 virus will be quarantined in a separate area and the parents contacted to pick up the student.
Classrooms and equipment will be sanitized on a daily basis and meals will be staggered in order to limit the number of occupants. Other restrictions are limiting 50 students to a bus, seats on the bus will be assigned to each student, and visible signs will be posted throughout the school buildings alerting students to social distancing requirements. Some stairwells will be one way. Physical Education will be held outside if possible and if held inside social distancing will be in place.
Parents who do not feel comfortable in having their child return to school can elect to enroll their child in the Remote Learning program. This option can be chosen at the time of registration and will be run by Fieldcrest staff. Remote Learning will be available through Phase 4 and discontinued when the district reaches Phase 5.
In personnel matters Asley Swanson was hired as a Guidance Support/SEL Teacher, Rachel Barisch as Bus Monitor, extra duty assignment was given to Jennifer Bartman in 8th Grade Volleyball and Logan Weber, Freshmen Football Coach. Resignations were received from Mike Quinn, HS Counselor and CJ Hamilton, XC Volunteer Coach. Volunteers added were Wayne Weber, Football, Jared Rients, Football and Joanne Pesavento, HS Flags.
The board approved a bid of $10,368.81 for waste removal from Area Disposal Service Inc. of Peoria, approved a milk bid from Prairie Farms Dairy at 33 cents per carton for white milk and 36 cents for chocolate milk, approved a bid from Midwest Environmental Consulting Services to monitor and test for asbestos and air quality at the Fieldcrest Middle School at $1000 per shift and approved a bid of $62,950 from BCA Architects of Ottawa for replacement of windows at the Fieldcrest Middle School.
The school received notification from the Illinois Department of Transportation that the road from the south edge of Wenona to the middle school constitutes a safety hazard for children walking to school.
The board reviewed a proposal from GreenBear, a cloud based document system, to handle the school's documents at $400 per quarter or $1200 per year.