By Josh Margolis
CHINOOK, Mont. (NMB) – The Chinook School Board convened on Thursday night at the High School Auditorium for a Special Emergency meeting and voted to approve Superintendent Fred Hofman’s recommendation to loosen restrictions for close contacts of COVID-19 cases.
The change allows all close contacts to continue in school as long as they are wearing a mask for 10 days when not able to social distance and are not showing any symptoms.
The previous policy was to send all close contacts home for five days regardless of vaccination status, and to have the person wear a mask for their first five days back in the building when unable to social distance.
The meeting was convened due to major staffing issues. Hofman said that if the meeting had not been convened Thursday, they would have likely have to have been closed on Friday. With many teachers out, volunteers, including a Trustee, have had to step up to substitute teach.
Hofman said that seven staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks. All are vaccinated and have not had to be hospitalized. Some of them were infected for a second time this school year, although Hofman said symptoms were less severe this time than when the Delta variant was predominant.
This policy change is only temporary, and many parents and Trustees at the meeting spoke out against the mask requirement.
Just prior to the meeting adjourning, Trustee Kevin Elias echoed many of those concerns, saying, “This (policy) will look a lot different come February 8th.”
Chair Frank Billmayer said it is crucial that they ensure compliance with state law, such as HB 702, while not running afoul of federal regulations.
A Re-Opening Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 1st at 5 PM. They will pass on recommendations to the full School Board, which is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, February 8th at 7 PM. Both meetings are set to take place in the Auditorium.
The Committee is expected to re-evaluate their contact tracing policy, address the issue of masking and look into other related policies.
