On Jan. 14, the school board held an emergency meeting to discuss the return of students back to school on Feb. 1. 

The meeting started with the school board taking calls from parents and other community members, sharing their concerns and opinions of virtual schooling and COVID-19 precautions/guidelines. 

“My daughter thrives on the structure of being in the classroom and her grades are suffering significantly. Students are failing, they are depressed and unmotivated. This year’s senior class has basically lost everything,” parent Tara Steinbugl said. “I want you to think back to your senior year and how much it meant to you to have homecoming, prom, football and basketball games, walking the halls, joking with friends…basically enjoying the last of your childhood.” 

“I’m the great-grandmother of three students…I appreciate all you are doing but it’s just not working. I honestly think that if we can’t safely get them back in school, they should all repeat this year,” great-grandparent Linda Kipple said.

The board discussed plans for vaccinating staff and said that around ⅔ of the staff said they would get the vaccine. 

“We need to bring kids back in safely for all involved. Our staff is our most precious resource, we have to protect them. We need to bring them all back together. We have to make it fair for every family. I will not be voting for a hybrid model. We have to vaccinate our teachers,” board member Dr. Frank Meloy said. 

School board members discussed several plans of returning students back on a hybrid schedule, sending students back two weeks after the staff is vaccinated and sending all students back to school full time. Those votes are as follows: 

Motion to bring students back on a hybrid model Jan. 25: 

Dr. Frank Meloy: No 

Sharon Bream: No 

Rick Hoover No

David Francis: No

Ron Johnston: No

Mike Baker: No

Ed Kreuz: Yes 

Kelly Irwin Adams: Yes

Eric Haugh: Yes

Failed 6-3

Motion to bring students back on a hybrid model two weeks after the staff is vaccinated: 

Dr. Frank Meloy: Yes

Rick Hoover: Yes

Ron Johnston: Yes

Mike Baker: Yes

Ed Kreuz: No

Kelly Irwin Adams: No

Eric Haugh: No

David Francis: No

Sharon Bream:  No

Passed 5-4

Motion to bring all students back full time Jan. 19

Dr. Frank Meloy: No

Rick Hoover : No

David Francis: No

Eric Haugh : No

Ron Johnston: No

Mike Baker: No

Ed Kreuz: Yes

Kelly Irwin Adams: Yes

Sharon Bream:  Yes

Failed 6-3