Seniors Sativa Cark, left, and Cody Shelton enjoy their final days before school starts on Monday. Both students are painting their individualized parking spots at the high school.
For the first time in two years, the first day of Churchill County schools on Monday may resemble a normal opening day for the district’s students and teachers.
Student start times in the morning depend on the individual schools: E.C. Best, 7:45 a.m.; Numa, 7:55 a.m.; Lahontan, 8:05 a.m.; Northside, 8:10 a.m.; Churchill County High School, 8:20 a.m.; and Churchill County Middle School, 8:45 a.m.
Changes have affected school bus transportation. Buses will run a full circuit or route this year, but transfers will not be used. Bus stops will be located throughout Fallon. Students in grades kindergarten-eighth grade (K-8) will have access to a school bus if they live at least a half-mile from their school of attendance. According to the school district, students may have to travel greater distances to a specified bus stop. All students in grades K-12 who live in the county (not city limits) will have access to a bus.
Chartwells, the private company providing meals, has implemented guidelines for meal prep, meal service and meal environments based on current U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines.
All students will have daily breakfast and lunch served, including those in virtual learning. The school district said all pre-K-12 students will still receive free meals through the USDA eligibility.
“District will support food options during extended closures such as scheduled school breaks,” the district said in its instructions for parents.
The Board of Trustees also discussed Gov. Steve Sisolak’s directives regarding face coverings.
Trustees wrestled with the governor’s directives at their last school board meeting. They learned, however, that Superintendent Summer Stephens and other superintendents successfully lobbied the governor’s office for a change in the student wear of face coverings. Instead of mandatory, the governor’s office changed the requirement or grades K-12 to highly recommended.
The directive for adults remains the same: “All adults, including licensed and classified staff, parents/guardians, visitors, and other adults must wear face coverings when inside all ChurchillCSD facilities. All children are welcome to wear face coverings at any time. Exceptions for face coverings can be found in Directive 24, Section 7, subsection 3.”
Legal counsel to the school district, Sharla Hales, said children and staff using school transportation with more than one occupant are required to wear face coverings. Furthermore, Hales informed both the trustees and those in attendance that the governor is following state law and violators could be fined by the Nevada Occupational Safety and Health Administration. She did tell trustees, however, they could take a public stand against the directive.
“He has declared a state emergency,” Hales said, noting it was implemented in March 2020.
Hales said the trustees do not have the authority to ignore the governor’s directives.
“This board is not happy about the mandate,” said Matt Hyde, president of the school board.
“I think it’s crap,” interjected trustee Fred Buckmaster.
Trustee Carmen Schank echoed the feelings of her fellow board members when she said Churchill County should have local control. Fellow trustee Kathryn Whitaker said the face coverings should be managed based on the community.
"I'm not satisfied with the governor’s mandate,” said Trustee Tricia Strasdin, adding the process has become very politicized.
She said this type of decision should be done at the local level.
Hyde said there are many laws on the books he doesn’t like.
“I don’t like masks at all,” he said.
Furthermore, he then said he doesn’t like the seat-belt law.
Before the vote, several people took the floor to express their dissatisfaction.
The trustees approved the governor’s directive on masks but did so under protest.
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