The Hamilton Southeastern school board had plenty to handle in the regularly-scheduled board meeting Monday night, including a protest outside the administration building and a presentation on the hybrid learning plan.
Approximately 40 to 50 people chanted and carried signs close to Cumberland Road, in front of the building where the board meeting was held. One person spoke at the board meeting advocating for the school district to bring students in all grades back to 100 percent in-person classes.
The meeting largely consisted of school officials reviewing building cleaning plans, plans for buses and substitute teachers. Administrators told the board 55 percent of substitute teachers are willing to return. There is a large permanent staff of substitutes, with 72 as the ideal number. There are now 35 full-time substitute teachers in the district.
The plans for hybrid learning were unveiled to the board. You can read more details about that at this link.
Superintendent Allen Bourff said it is the goal of administrators and the board to have students back in their regular classrooms 100 percent of the time. However, the district is working with the Fishers Health Department on when that is safe for students and staff. Bourff also said the Indiana State Department of Health issued new guidelines for schools just hours before the board meeting.
Preschool through fourth grade students are set to begin a 50-50 plan, where over a two-week period, students will spend half of their time in the school building and half of their time learning virtually.
School officials told the board an online dashboard is being developed to allow anyone to know how many new cases of COVID have been reported among students and staff, by school building. That dashboard is expected to be available Sept. 14.
It was also revealed at the meeting that student enrollment has dipped slightly this school year, from roughly 22,000 students down to about 21,500. CFO Cecilie Nunn said this may be due to some parents making other arrangements due to COVID-19.
Fullhart
As the meeting concluded, Board President Michelle Fullhart, speaking for herself and not the board, said teachers “are not the enemy” in the debate over virtual vs. in-person classes. The enemy is the virus, according to Fullhart. She added the school administrators, school board and local health department are not the enemies here either.
“If we could just come together and fight against this virus, instead of each other, our community would be a much better place,” Fullhart said.