Westfield Superintendent, School Board ask Holcomb to prioritize teachers, staff for COVID-19 vaccination

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Editor’s note: This letter from Interim Superintendent Chris Baldwin and the entire Westfield Washington Schools Board of Trustees was sent to the Governor of Indiana in support of prioritizing teachers and educational staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Governor Eric Holcomb,

Thank you for your steadfast commitment to Hoosier families, businesses and school districts throughout this unprecedented time in our history. As chief executive of the state, we understand that you’re faced with prioritizing the needs of countless groups at every turn. That is exactly why we are asking you to consider the health, safety and wellbeing of our teachers and educational staff by prioritizing vaccines for educators as soon as possible.

Thanks to the unwavering dedication and continued flexibility of our teachers, administrators and support staff, Westfield Washington Schools has been providing in-person education from the beginning of the school year. Our hybrid learning model and vigilant safety measures have been invaluable for the health and safety of our staff and students and vaccines would provide yet another way for us to combat the impact of the Coronavirus. Our educators continue to put students first by providing high-quality education while dealing with fears, health concerns and the plethora of other challenges that have been brought on by this COVID-19 pandemic.

For this reason, among many others, teachers and educational staff deserve vaccine priority.

In addition to the educators, our bus drivers, custodians and food service workers play an essential role in our ability to keep our doors open for students to have a small semblance of normalcy at a time when they need it most. We have been able to overcome all staffing, transportation, custodial or food service challenges that we’ve faced so far, but as you know, with COVID-19, things can change in an instant.

That is why we believe it is in the best interest of the state, our local community and the future of our students that educational staff be prioritized for the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

Indiana has been #INthistogether for about a year and we will continue to do what it takes to make it to the other side. We just hope that you are able to see that prioritizing educational staff can play a major role in getting our state, our children and our lives back on track.

Respectfully,

Chris Baldwin

Interim Superintendent

Jimmy Cox

School Board President

Rebecca Ogle

School Board Vice President

Bill Anderson

School Board Secretary

Amber Willis

School Board Member

Mike Steele

School Board Member