CBOE discusses, votes on safety protocols
The Cherokee Board of Education met at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 9 for their monthly meeting.
The meeting was called to order with Kory Littlefield, Desiree Gibson, Amber Wilhite, Kurtis Goodwin and Shane Parker present.
The consent agenda was approved as follows:
• Minutes of Oct. 5 meeting.
• General fund encumbrances, purchase orders, balances and warrants.
• Child nutrition fund encumbrances, purchase orders, balances and warrants.
• Building fund encumbrances, purchase orders, balances and warrants.
• Activity fund report. This also included a request for the sixth grade to have an activity account opened.
• Activity fundraiser requests: junior high cheer selling jackets and seventh grade class selling cookie dough.
• Treasurer reports.
Next, the board discussed the protocols for student health at the school.
Bryce Schanbacher said that the school will start doing the disinfecting inhouse instead of contracting it out.
The school has purchased the same disinfectant that was being used by the company.
OkanClean donated a backpack sprayer and Schanbacher said they were very appreciative of the donation.
The school had one senior test positive, but due to spacing, no others were sent home.
During the discussion Goodwin asked Schanbacher if the mask policy was still necessary. Schanbacher said, “Yes, I think with what we have in place it is. Until somebody offers up a better solution. If it increases our possibility of controlling what we have going on, even a small percentage, I still think that is better than nothing.”
“We’ve got kids wearing masks with material made of anything,” said Goodwin. “Maybe we should back off that mandate.”
“My feeling is, it’s the wrong time to do that,” said Shanbacher. “If the numbers were going in the other direction, I think we could consider backing off of some things.”
After some more discussion, Wilhite made the motion to continue the protocols with Littlefield seconding. During the vote Wilhite, Littlefield and Parker voted yes and Goodwin and Gibson voted no.
The board approved the 2021 board meeting dates, alternative education waiver request, rental property agreements for the three residential properties owned by the district and to surplus the blue 1994 Chevrolet pickup owned by the district.
At 7:22 p.m., the board convened into executive session to have confidential communications with the school attorney about a pending matter or action upon the advice of the school attorney that disclosure will seriously impair the ability of the board to process the matter or action.
They returned to open session at 8:29 p.m. and took no action on the discussion.
Next, the board approved amending the 2020-2021 school day calendar to change the remaining virtual learning days to in-person school days which include Dec. 7, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8 and April 12.
They also approved the resolution to enter into an agreement with ACB Bank for non-payable warrants beginning December 2020.
Elementary Principal Ruth Richmond gave her report:
• She has four new students starting soon putting her total at 234.
• Parent teacher conferences went well.
• The students who reached their first nine week AR goal got a free book paid for by a private donation.
• The hearing and vision screenings are done.
• Basketball has started.
Principal Jeremy Hickman gave his report:
• The high school has 103 students.
• They are working on tracking attendance.
• There was no football game Friday. They could host the second through fourth round if the Chiefs win.
• The cross country girls’ team finished fourth at state and Abby Guffy finished in the top 3.
• The FFA labor auction was tomorrow, Nov. 10.
• Basketball season has started for the junior high and the games are being streamed.
• FFA and FCCLA events are underway.
• Veterans Day will be done virtually.
• Homecoming and Red Ribbon week went well.
Schanbacher gave his report:
• There are a lot of activities going on.
• The elementary and junior high basketball tournaments were cancelled, but the school rescheduled some games.
• Everybody at the school is doing a great job.
After hearing no new business, the meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m.