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Date: 12/1/2020
SOUTHWICK – After switching to fully remote learning earlier in November when Hampden County reached a 3 percent positivity rate for COVID-19 – because of a clause in a memorandum of agreement with the teachers union – the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School Committee approved an updated memorandum at a special meeting on Nov. 24.
To start the memorandum discussion, Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Willard presented the new memorandum of agreement with the teacher’s union.
Under the revised memorandum, the district must hit two of three new metrics for the district to go fully remote.
“Hampden County positivity rate is still an important metric for us to look at, but we did raise it from 3 percent to 5 percent. The second criteria is whether Southwick, Tolland or Granville turns red on the community level COVID-19 data reporting map for two consecutive weeks. The third criteria is a one percent or more of our in-person hybrid students or staff are absent due to a positive test,” Willard said.
She clarified that 1 percent of the in-person and hybrid students and staff is roughly 12 people.
Even if the district does meet two of the three criteria, Willard said individual schools may remain open.
“If it is determined that it is safe to open up our schools or special programs because we don’t have any incidences of COVID-19, then even if two of the three criteria are met, we would be able to keep some of our schools and special programs open,” she said.
Along with the criteria, a school could be shut down if a cluster develops.
“With a cluster, we could shut down a classroom or close down a school even if the other top criteria is met,” Willard said.
She also said that this new memorandum put the district in the best position to keep staff and students safe.
“We feel that this agreement fulfills the needs of my number one priority, the health and safety of our students and staff, making sure when we do open our school doors it is safe and we have everything in place to make sure we can continue in-person learning in a safe environment,” she said.
At this time, Willard said schools would remain closed through at least Dec. 4.
“As much as I believe there is nothing that can replace in- person learning, I did have a lengthy discussion today with our public health nurse and due to the Thanksgiving holiday coming up and reaching two out of the three criteria, I just don’t feel this is the appropriate time to reopen our schools for learning,” she said.
Willard added the district will continue to monitor trends and will provide an update to families on Dec. 4.
Ultimately the committee unanimously approved the new memorandum with the teacher’s union.
After approving the memorandum, the committee then discussed a motion to make committee member Jonathon Schantz a sports liaison with winter sports on the horizon and beyond.
“I think the liaison makes more sense than a subcommittee because we don’t really have a sounding board between the two, and I think this fits better than what a subcommittee would do,” Schantz said.
He added that the current goal would be to work with the athletic director and create a presentation for the winter sports vote.
“I’m trying to help him form the right presentation to put together so we can present the information as we have it and we can make a decision based on it. I’m trying to help him make sure he gets the perspective of how the committee may react to certain things,” Schantz said.
The committee unanimously agreed to make Schantz the sports liaison to work with the athletic director.