Ash Grove R-4 readies plan for return

By: 
Ryan Squibb

Ash Grove Superintendent Dr. Aaron Gerla, flanked by board president Bill Duncan, goes over the highlights of the district’s re-entry plan at the Ash Grove Board of Education meeting Monday night. (Photo by Ryan Squibb)

School administration still fine tuning what return to in-person classes will look like come August
 
Preliminary plans for returning to school in August were discussed at the July 27 Ash Grove Board of Education meeting. District Superintendent Dr. Aaron Gerla said that the current outline isn’t set in stone, and further, isn’t even ready for the public, although some details were mentioned.
There will be masking expectations for students fourth through 12th grade, including all staff. Mask requirements aren’t based on age so much as grade level, and building. The district will be providing cloth masks for all students. If the cloth mask is lost, the student will be given a disposable mask.
There will also be temporal scans for taking student temperatures; anyone with a temperature exceeding 100.4 will not be allowed at school.
The first public introduction to the actual plan of action will be the first week of August, with possible adjustments to follow, depending on feedback.
Gerla added that Ash Grove’s overall re-entry will mirror that of 95 percent of schools in the area. Gerla also said the district has been working with the Greene County Health Department to determine the best options for the school system.  
Also changing will be cafeteria school lunches and bus rides, although no details were shared at the meeting.

 In other business…
The board voted 6-0, in the absence of Matthew Hancock and with members Jerry Morton and Caleb Smith attending online, to:
- Establish non-resident tuition at $7,000.
- Adopt the same bus routes as last school year.
- Set the tax rate hearing at Bois D’Arc school for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 24, followed by the board meeting at 7 p.m.
- Set the school bell schedule the same as last year, but with the high school now dismissing at 3:11 p.m.
- Adopt the school handbook, certified handbook and non-certified handbook.
- Award the 2020-2021 service contracts, including Gatekeeper as the bus camera provider.
- Approve bids, the same suppliers as last year, for bread (Pennington’s), milk (Hiland) and gasoline, diesel and propane (MFA).
- Raise meal prices 10 cents across the board, with milk staying the same price, 50 cents.
This meeting, and meetings to follow, was broadcast live on Facebook Live and can be viewed on the school’s Facebook account.

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Lawrence County Record

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