Timberlake approves return to learn plan
The Timberlake Board of Education met at 6 p.m., Aug. 5, for their regular meeting.
The meeting was called to order with Mindy Finney, Patsy Judd, Chad Greb, Jay Jenlink and Levi Johnson.
Following the prayer by Judd, Johnson was given the oath of office.
The consent agenda was approved first as follows:
• Minutes from June 30 meeting.
• Monthly Financial reports of activity funds.
• Treasurer’s report.
• Encumbrances: general fund, $60,007.48 and building fund, $9,286.51.
• Contract/agreement renewal: OKTLE Service contract for employee evaluations.
Principals Ryan Dayton and Chance Grider and Superintendent Kale Pierce gave their administrative reports.
Next, the board approved the 2020-2021 Timberlake Return to School Plan.
The plan is as follows:
Calendar
• Timberlake will utilize the current schedule regardless of medical scenarios
• Virtual days will be used as necessary rather than adjusting the schedule
• Flexible plan will allow individuals, small groups, or even classes to transition to their virtual plan should there be a need for quarantine or a closure of any length
• Virtual attendance policy in place for individuals or groups should this option be necessary; students are able to continue learning at home and counted present
• School day hours have changed slightly to help with routes and student safety
• Doors will be open for students at 7:40 am-both sites
• Most route times adjusted to have kids to school no earlier than 7:40
• Carmen route students will be let in HS upon arrival so that Carmen & Helena elementary students can be on campus by 7:50
• High School classes: 8:10 am – 3:30 pm
• Elementary classes: 8:00 am – 3:15 pm
Important Dates
Tuesday, August 4th Noon-6:30 pm PK-12 Enrollment at Elementary
Wednesday, August 5th 8:00 am – 2:00 pm PK-12 Enrollment at High School
Monday, August 10th 8:00 am Teachers Report to High School Auditorium
*Open House and Meet the Tigers is Postponed-Rescheduled dates TBD
Thursday, August 13th 7:40 am Doors open for students-first day of classes
Friday, August 21st All Day No School-Staff Professional Development
Changes to Enrollment
Procedures
• Paperwork is available for pickup by parents at all post office locations within the district, as well as the Carmen Jiffy Trip (1 packet per family)
• Paperwork will have to be completed prior to entering buildings on enrollment days
• Can be picked up and filled out in vehicle during enrollment times
• Please limit the number of people that enter the building to turn in paperwork and meet with staff. Students are not required to attend enrollment unless they need to help with JH/HS Scheduling.
• Following staff will be available for questions or consultation while handing in paperwork
• Secretaries
• Administration
• Counselor for JH/HS Scheduling
• School Nurse
• These steps are being taken to limit the size of groups in the building at one time
• Report to buildings at the entrances nearest the principal’s offices to pick up or turn in paperwork. You will be directed to separate areas to speak with staff if needed.
Medical considerations
Timberlake Public Schools will use the recommendations set forth by the State Department of Education as a guideline while also considering any direct relationship between positive cases in the county and the district. If there is a link to the district, Timberlake will follow these recommendations. This system utilizes the State Health Department’s Covid-19 Alert System which assigns a color coded threat level for each county based on new positive cases within each week. This map can be found at https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/covid-19-alert-system
• Timberlake Public Schools recommends that all staff and students follow the guidelines set forth by state and federal health organizations. While this does include recommendations for wearing masks, Timberlake will not be requiring that masks be worn unless one of the following three scenarios occurs:
• Mandates are put into place by higher government entities
• Short term use by individuals that begin showing symptoms or receive notice of a positive test during isolation until they can be picked up from school
• Positive cases in Alfalfa County which include individuals related to the Timberlake District reach a number that moves the county into the Yellow threat level or higher.
• Staff and students will not be allowed on their route or in the school building with a temp of 100 degrees or greater.
• Drivers will check temps as students enter vehicle
• Staff will check temps at each site for staff and students that are not transported by a Timberlake route
• Drivers will check their own temps before their morning route
• Temps will also be checked before lunch and before any fever reducing meds are given
• Timberlake will stick strictly to the sickness (fever) policy
• Students must be fever free for 48 hours with no medication before returning to school (see Student/Parent Handbook-pg. 7).
• Will recommend Covid testing if sent home with fever
• Instruction for all students regarding hand washing
• Frequent hand washing breaks including before meals
• Sanitation stations provided in key locations
• Additional lunch periods are in place to decrease the number of students in the cafeteria at one time with breaks between for cleaning by staff at both sites.
• 1st-6th Grade students will report directly to their classroom each morning
• PK&KG students will report to the cafeteria for breakfast upon arrival
• 1st-6th Grade students will eat breakfast in their classrooms
• School buildings WILL NOT be open until 7:40 am for students.
Academics
Timberlake Learning Options
1. Traditional, in-person classes with Blended Learning Components
It is the belief of Timberlake Public Schools that best academic outcomes for most students come from in person instruction with the opportunity for relationships and interactions with staff and peers which encourage deeper learning. The overall goal is to allow traditional school to take place whenever it is possible to do so safely. Blended learning will allow for flexibility should active Covid-19 cases or state mandates require breaks from the traditional school setting.
2. Full Virtual/At Home Option
Parents do have the option to choose a full virtual format for their Timberlake students.
This option does not allow for participation in extracurricular activities, but will allow students to remain enrolled and on pace to graduate from Timberlake. Instruction will primarily be done through software that meets all Oklahoma requirements and will also include access to and regular communication with Timberlake personnel to assist in learning. A virtual attendance policy will be adopted by the first day of classes and attendance through the virtual format is still required by law.
Choice #1: Blended Learning Plan
• Must choose this plan to participate in extracurricular activities
• Normal, in person classes to begin year-will ONLY use virtual option if necessary
• Edgenuity and Odysseyware used to different degrees as a classroom tool
• Will better prepare students and staff for any of the following scenarios and lead to smoother transitions to virtual classrooms should they become necessary
• Teaching occurs in the classroom but videos can be enabled for absent students
• In class and virtual lessons will be coordinated to keep everyone on pace
• Virtual Attendance Policy for Blended Learning Students
• Students participating in virtual education on an as needed basis will be counted as being in attendance if they meet one of the following criteria:
• Students complete or are on pace to complete all assignments by the deadline set by the teacher
• Students are completing a minimum of 5 hours of ACTIVE time in their coursework per virtual day
• Average of time spent from Sunday through Saturday
• No time of day requirement for coursework
• Time spent during multiple virtual days is flexible and will be averaged to meet this requirement
• Time spent on weekends or non-calendar days count toward this requirement
• There are also communication requirements for students to respond to correspondence from teachers if multiple days are necessary
• Possible scenarios for traditional students shifting to virtual coursework
• Short absences or closures (week or less)
• Students would be assigned work consistent with traditional class
• 14 Day quarantines that don’t include the whole class
• Instruction videos and assignments assigned that are consistent with what their peers are doing in class.
• Virtual work would keep students on pace without increasing absences
• Closures or long term absences
• Move to full virtual platform as long as needed with as many as needed
• Videos and assignments will carry on from where they left off in the traditional class. Most or all subjects would be included this time around with fewer assignments per class.
Choice #2: Full Virtual
Platform
• More detailed information available in the Timberlake Virtual Academy Handbook
• This option is available to families that don’t feel it is in their best interest to send children to school.
• Extracurricular activities would not be available for these students.
• Designated staff responsible for tracking progress of individual students
• Virtual school attendance and grading policies will be adopted at the next board meeting.
• Students choosing the full virtual education platform will be considered as being in attendance if the students meet one of following criteria:
• Students are on pace to finish the allotted courses by the prescribed finish date.
• Students are completing a minimum of 25 hours of ACTIVE time in their coursework per week from Sunday to Saturday.
Communication
Communication between teachers, parents, and students has been streamlined by expanding the use of the School Messenger program that is already in place for emergency, lunch account, and school closure notifications. These notifications will now include the use of text messaging after individuals opt in to that option. Information about this option can be found on the
Timberlake website which includes how to opt in to that service immediately. There will also be an opt-in message sent to all primary contacts for each student before the first day of school.
Parents wishing to utilize this service will need to reply yes to that opt-in message.
Teacher/sponsor initiated messaging has also been added allowing for two-way communication between the teacher/sponsor, students, and parent/guardians. It is our hope that this will be a more efficient, effective form of communication. This will also eliminate multiple communication formats that are being used throughout the district.
Next, the board approved the Timberlake Virtual Academy Student Handbook and changes to the illness policy in the 2020-2021 Student Handbook.
The resignations of Gary Smith and Melissa Shepard were approved.
At 6:51 p.m. the board convened into executive session to discuss the hiring process to fill the full time music/band vacancy and library specialist opening.
They returned to open session at 7:26 p.m. and approved hiring Taner Jackson as the music teacher. They also approved not to apply for a librarian waiver for the school as recommended by the superintendent.
A motion was made to approved the professional development stipend schedule for the school year. The stipend is $1,000 for full-time certified employees and $500 for full time non-certified employees. The motion was approved.
The final item of business was approving the 1080 hours for the 2020-2021 school year.
After hearing no new business, the meeting adjourned at 7:28 p.m.