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BELOIT -- West Branch students are on schedule to return to class Jan. 4.
Acting Superintendent Micki Egli said Saturday morning her recommendation at this time would be to return to in-person instruction following Christmas break, but acknowledged it could change at any moment.
She said she hopes to notify parents by the end of the calendar year, but said it could be sooner if there is a significant change in positive cases.
She said she is cognizant of parents' need to know what the plan is and working to make a decision as soon as possible.
Egli said the active cases include three students and two staff, which is a decrease since Thanksgiving. She encouraged families to continue to notify the district if a student is positive or a contact.
Also at the meeting, Egli reported the deadline to either enroll or return from Warrior Academy is Jan. 8. She said 27 students are returning and six are enrolling, with 151 in the academy who have not responded yet. She said the administration is still reaching out to parents for a response.
Additionally, Egli reported in response to community member David Yaggi's concerns about the monitoring of Knox Elementary since its closure that security cameras are still active, the septic system has been shut off but is flushed twice a month and staff members are on location multiple times a week because it is still being used for storage.
In other business, teacher Jackie Lyons read a letter on behalf of the West Branch Education Association in response to comments made by board members during their Nov. 19 meeting, video of which is available for the public. The letter stated comments suggested the teachers do not provide instruction prior to holidays and were not prepared for remote instruction. It further stated the teachers were hurt that board members would express such views and encouraged them to learn what goes in to classroom and online instruction.
Board President Courtney Stryffeler responded that the board truly appreciates what the teachers are doing.
The board also accepted donation of $100 from Damascus Methodist Women for SADD, $300 from John Rose Trucking & Excavating for staff appreciation, $100 from KC Metalworks LLC for the food pantry, $1,000 from Goshen Center Ruritans for the food pantry and $40 anonymously for the food pantry; and set the board member compensation for 2021 at $100 per board meeting, including the county board meeting, for up to 20 meetings, which Stryffeler noted is a continuation of a 20 percent decrease in compensation approve last year.
The board's organizational meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 13 in the high school auditorium and streamed live on Facebook, with Stryffeler as president pro tem.
khowell@salemnews.net