By China Cassidy During the Dec. 8 Joseph City School District Governing Board meeting, Superintendent Bryan Fields discussed with the board whether school would continue with onsite instruction for the remainder of the semester, which will end on Dec. 18. During the Nov. 10 board meeting, Fields suggested to the board that students should return to virtual learning a week ahead of the fall break on Nov. 16 to allow for an intermittent quarantine to help combat the rise of positive COVID cases in the district. The board voted not to close early and Fields now reports that despite remaining on campus there are now fewer cases. Fields explained to the board that the district has been following the guidelines set forth by the Arizona Department of Health to determine when or if the school would need to return to virtual learning. Although the metrics in Joseph City have been substantial in all three categories, the Navajo County Department of Health has said that those metrics should be in the substantial category for at least two weeks before recommending that the district go back to virtual learning. The metrics include, that there should be fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 people; a rate of positive tests that is 10 percent or less; and fewer than 10 percent of hospital visits for COVID-like symptoms. Fields said that during the week of Nov. 30, there were 10 to 11 students that have stayed home due to either experiencing, or someone in their household experiencing symptoms but that there were no cases reported as of Tuesday, Dec. 8. “It looks good right now, it cleared up,” offered Fields. As of Friday, Dec. 8, JCUSD students and staff will continue on campus teaching until winter break. In new business the board: * Approved expense vouchers for general and special funds totaling $563,988, Auxiliary Operations Funds totaling 1,296 and Student Activities Funds totaling $1,281. * Approved the student activities fund report. * Acknowledged a $250 donation from Thrivent Action Team awarded to Kory Castellano. * Approved a request by the Joseph City Junior High volleyball team to have a fundraiser selling T-shirts. * Approved employee assignments for Kristen Beatty, large class stipend for a full day; Deo Diaz, JCJHS girls eighth grade basketball coach; and Mike Sterkowitz, large class stipend for one class period. * Approved Trekell Hammond, Daniel Hutchens and Chay Randles, each as assistant coaches. * Accepted the resignation of instructional aide Nicole Carroll. * Approved personnel appointments for Misti Garrison and Lisa Gayer, each as instructional aides; and Jocelyn Moss as a bus aide. *Approved extra duty for Misti Garrison as JCHS girls seventh grade basketball coach and Jerry Miller as JCHS boys seventh grade basketball coach. * Approved substitute teacher positions for Lisa Gayer and Keren Larsen. * Approved a pay increase for substitute teachers with an emergency certificate from $91 per day to $94 per day for those with less than 30 college credit hours effective Jan. 1, 2021. * Approved a new support staff pay schedule placement category of Tutor II at Level 9 at a rate of $15 per hour for classified staff with a bachelor’s degree. * Approved incentive payment to employees enrolled in district medical insurance plan for participating in the wellness programs.
