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MSD of New Durham Township board adopts emergency COVID-19 resolution; schools closed and meal delivery expanded
Summary
At an emergency March 16 meeting, the MSD of New Durham Township school board adopted a broad COVID-19 resolution allowing school closures through April 13, shifting to three days of eLearning weekly, and establishing a grab-and-go weekly meal program with delivery options for children 18 and under.
The MSD of New Durham Township school board on March 16 adopted an emergency resolution empowering district leaders to close schools, expand remote instruction and organize meal distribution as part of the district’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Dr. Sandra Wood, the district superintendent, reviewed the resolution and the operational steps already in place. She told the board that schools were closed through April 13 and students would receive three eLearning days per week while the district uses two of Governor Holcomb’s waiver days weekly to give students two days off and teachers two work days.
Dr. Wood said the buildings would be closed to all employees except essential personnel beginning March 17 and that employees who can work from home should do so and record their time on a log for verification. Hourly employees who rely on in-school activities to perform their jobs will receive pay during the closure unless they elect otherwise; those employees will be expected to make up time when school resumes under a conversion described by the district—"three days of time equals five days of pay." The superintendent said maintenance and custodial staff would work as they are able and that deep sanitation would be performed before reopening.
Beginning March 18 the district’s food service will prepare weekly grab-and-go meal packages containing a breakfast and lunch item for each weekday for children ages 18 and under. Dr. Wood said the meal program is federally funded and is available to children who do not attend the district. Families that signed up for delivery will be contacted with an approximate delivery time.
Board members and staff discussed delivery logistics. Bus drivers volunteered to assist with distribution, but the board noted state law restricts school buses to student transportation; staff said several drivers and employees offered to use personal vehicles and would be compensated. The district prepared a liability form for staff using their own vehicles for deliveries.
Board members said the resolution—prepared that morning by Mr. Kaminski—was intentionally broad to allow Dr. Wood or a designee to act as the situation developed; the board retains the ability to enact or remove the resolution. "The resolution authorizes us to make these types of decisions," Dr. Wood told the board.
Board member Mark Parkman made a motion to accept the resolution as presented; Board Secretary Lynn Wilson seconded the motion. The transcript records the motion and second and shows the meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.; it does not record a roll-call vote. The board scheduled its next regular meeting for Wednesday, April 8, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. in the media center.
"The mission of MSD of New Durham Township is to Inspire, Challenge, and Educate!" the transcript records.
(Reporting based on the board’s March 16, 2020 emergency meeting minutes.)
