Churchill County School District works with NDE on instruction options

The Churchill County School District’s Board of Trustees discussed at their monthly meeting Wednesday local plans to restart instruction for the next school year.

Superintendent Summer Stephens said local districts have been working with the Nevada Department of Education and must submit three proposals at least 20 days before instruction begins. Stephens said timing is critical because Churchill County and the other districts must submit options dealing with fully remote, partial blended learning or other partial return and full return with precautions.

Stephens told trustees the school district has been meeting with both the county and city, Naval Air Station Fallon , Churchill County Health and Human Services and the county’s chief medical officer to determine both the pros and cons of each option.

One of the options is giving K-12 students an opportunity to participate in full-time remote learning for the upcoming school year. Stephens said she has received surveys that are leaning toward A/B or AM/PM days. She said these two plans have gained the most traction so far.

Stephens, however, said the governor’s directive for everyone to wear face coverings could be a setback for re-opening plans.

Students would attend alternate days depending on their A or B group classification while students assigned AM would attend school in the morning, and PM in the afternoon. Stephens said in an AM/PM plan, students would receive at least 3.5 hours of instruction, and on the A or B days, middle school or high-school students would take six classes during their time in school.

Stephens said each plan, though, must consist of a learning center framework and also focus on building relationships with the students and their families. The second-year superintendent also told trustees school could begin after the Labor Day weekend or they could keep the original starting date in August.

Trustee Kathryn Whitaker asked the superintendent if available data indicates which plan is better.

“I haven’t seen any,” Stephens said.

In other action:

• A committee is looking at eliminating fees associated with core classes. Next year’s budget for 2020-2021 will cover the biology fee for students.

• The school district is re-examining the ending fund balance and reductions in tax revenue. Trustees met Tuesday to approve an amended budget.

• Trustees approved the purchase of three vehicles — eight-passenger van, 12-passenger van and a John Deere utility Gator. The total was approximately $83,000.

• Approved employment contract for the 2020-21 fiscal year for Janel Buchan, Human Resources analyst; Dustan Drinkut, garage supervisor; Toni Dalluge, transportation supervisor; and Debra Shyne, executive director for the superintendent and Board of Trustees; and Christi Fielding, comptroller.