Though the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is making headlines in the world of education, other efforts are still taking place behind the scenes.
Keeping district operations running smoothly amid the pandemic is important, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rex Ryker said Thursday at the Crawfordsville school board’s September meeting.
Ryker, who has overseen the high school renovation process since it began last year, said Phases 4, 5 and 6 are set to begin.
“Those started as early as yesterday,” Ryker said Thursday. “We’re still finishing up some (phase) 2 and 3 things that have come along — those types of things where you’re told it will be done in July and we’re looking now at September, but that’s construction.”
In a typical year, renovation can be a burden to teachers attempting to hold class. But since the pandemic left the high school’s campus largely vacant this summer, the majority of construction efforts are ahead of schedule.
“Teachers have done really well,” Ryker said. “Construction projects have usually created a lot of anxiety for teachers, and now it’s not even ever really mentioned. That is one thing that they just roll with. CHS Principal Greg Hunt does a fabulous job trying to take care of everything for his staff there.”
Food services, particularly meal deliveries to students on their at-home days per the hybrid attendance model, are struggling, however.
“We are delivering approximately 120-130 meals to hybrid students each day,” he said. “Only about half come out to get their meals, so that is another thing that is not going as well as we wanted. Obviously, we’re not serving as many meals (at school), so our account, which is normally doing very well, is seeing a hit there. There’s a lot that goes into food service.”
Another struggle exacerbated by the pandemic is the need for substitute and full-time bus drivers.
“We hold on every day, but every day we are using our subs — we need bus drivers,” he said. “We’ve created a bonus for any driver who comes to us with a CDL: After they’ve worked with us for six pay periods, we’ll give them a $250 bonus on top of starting them above $20 an hour.
“We need bus drivers.”
Back on the plus side, however, Ryker said COVID-19 emergency manager Amy Bales, RN, has proved invaluable during the pandemic.
The district created the position prior to the start of the 2020-21 school year in anticipation of discovering COVID-19-positive students in class. Bales served as Crawfordsville Middle School nurse until this year and substitute nurses have filled in for her while Bales tends to cases district wide.
“This has been an amazing role for our corporation,” Ryker said. “(Bales) works with myself, Dr. Bowling, administrators, teachers, parents, students ... handling so many of the issues that come along with this.
“She is also back to handling CMS as a nurse,” he added. “(Substitute nurse) Ellen Warren ... was in between jobs and she has moved on to her next job, so hopefully soon we’ll have another sub or temporary nurse in to cover CMS because currently there is something to do at all times right now with COVID-19.”
Anyone interested in applying to become a temporary nurse at CMS may contact the district at 765-362-2342.
The next regularly scheduled public meeting for Crawfordsville Schools is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 15 in the LGI Room of CMS.
In other business, the board:
• Approved a resolution to reduce 2020 appropriations. Superintendent Bowling said cash balances are kept in the Education Fund and may be appropriated for emergencies. “When we get to this time of the year, I need to appropriate it for the next year, so in order to do that I’ve got to reduce it in the current year to get it on for 2021.”
• Approved two Title IX Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure policies. The procedures also determine if an investigation is necessary, and how they are recorded.
• Approved the resignation of adult education department aide Mary Sloan and the hire of Patrick Francis as CTE administrative assistant/career guidance and work-based learning coordinator.
