During its Tuesday evening meeting, the Conewago Valley School District (CVSD) unanimously voted to bring the 4th through 6th grades back to the intermediate school full-time next week.
Of the 900 families surveyed last week, 723 completed it, with 94.4 percent (707 families) indicating they wanted their students to return to school full-time.
According to Superintendent Christopher Rudisill, the tentative planned schedule is as follows:
– All students attend virtually on Monday, March 15
– 4th-grade students attend in-person on Tuesday, March 16 (5th and 6th hybrid)
– 4th and 5th grade students attend in-person on Wednesday, March 17 (6th grade hybrid)
– Grades 4-6 can return to full-time schedules on Thursday, March 18
Rudisill said the district will examine the possibility of having 7th-8th-grade students and 9th-12th-grade students returning to school as normal, but there are no solid plans for when those changes would occur. The district plans to send parents a survey to learn their preferences.
“Looks light a brighter future for our kids,” Board President Edward Groft said.
Vaccinations
Rudisill said that with the new availability of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, 185 faculty, administrators, and staff may be vaccinated.
Those serving grades K-6 may get the vaccination within a week, while those working with grades 7-12 will be able to get their vaccine by the end of April.
“We anticipate by the end of March, beginning of April, all of our staff will have had that opportunity to receive the vaccination if they choose to,” Rudisill said.
The vaccine is optional for employees.
Spring Testing
Assistant Superintendent Sharon Perry said standardized testing will be held this spring despite the pandemic.
Perry said that information about the exams will be communicated by school principals. She also said the district’s website has been updated with relevant information.
“Our goal is to condense and make sure that all of our spring testing happens before the conclusion of the school year,” Perry said.
Student recognition
The board heard from several principals about their students’ achievements. It recognized Courtney Smith, the New Oxford High School Rotary Student of the Month for January, and Zachary Barnhart, who received the same honor in February.
The board also recognized Dylan Forbes for his nomination as the Winter Sports Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 22.
Several students were recognized for their college acceptances and scholarship awards.
Other Business
The school directors accepted the donation of a frame hoist valued at $2,500. The frame host was donated by Ring Container Technologies for the Colonial Career and Technology Center.
The district also ended relationships with second- and third-shift custodians at multiple schools effective at the end of March 31 in favor of a contract with Aramark. A note in the agenda said that all 10 of the employees were offered jobs with the company.
School principals apprised the board about their schools’ efforts to recognize and celebrate Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March.
The next regular meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 12 in the district administrative office. Meetings have been live-streamed on YouTube.
Imari Scarbrough is a freelance journalist. She was a staff newspaper reporter for five years before becoming a freelancer in 2017. She has written on crime, environmental issues, severe weather events, local and regional government and more.
You can visit her website at ImariJournal.com.