The Winslow Unified School District Governing board met last week to discuss a brief agenda that included an update on COVID cases in the district by Superintendent Connie Gover. “For COVID, we currently have nine active cases in the past five days. In schools around Navajo County there is starting to be a large absentee rate but it’s not all due to COVID.”
Gover explained that she meets with Navajo County officials regularly who have reported an uptick in the number of COVID cases throughout the county. “We have gone from about 30 a week to 100 now. The main variant is Omicron but there has also been an unusual increase of upper respiratory diseases such as RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), as well as flu cases.”
Gover stated that the current CDC guidance pertaining to COVID is to isolate for five days if testing positive. If symptoms improve with no fever and without using aspirin or acetaminophen, then it is safe to return to work or school with the recommendation to mask for five days. For those who have been in contact with someone who has COVID but have not tested positive then there is no need to isolate, but it is recommended to wear a mask for 10 days.
In other business, Business Manager Casey Hancock provided a brief financial update to the board stating that after a third of the school year, the district has utilized 19% of the budget.
The board also had a presentation by the Winslow High School Student Council on the many activities currently planned for students to take part in.
In other business, the board:
* Authorized acceptance of $500 each to Briana Nelson, Kim Henling and Billie Avelar of Bonnie Brennan School; Christie Bratt, Senaida Gonzales, Jana Jordan, and Toni Villanueva of Jefferson School; and Lavinia Cody, Gloria Jackson, Claire Seel, Lynne Sawyer and Scott Corum of Winslow Junior High School from Arizona Public Service’s Supply My Classroom program.
* Approved volunteer Quintin Begody Sr. for Winslow Junior High School wrestling.
* Approved fundraisers including the sale of wreaths by the Lady Diamonds for $3 to $50 per sale, Turkey Bowl for WHS Student Council for $1 per roll and movie night with concessions for WHS student council for 25 cents to $5 per sale. WHS also requested the formation of two new student clubs, WHS Automotive Club with sponsors Curtis Gordon, Tony Mora, Afton Foster and Zack Young, and Winslow Skills USA Chapter with sponsors Afton Foster.
