Coronavirus precautions taken in schools

DAYTON–Since there are confirmed cases in Washington State of the Coronavirus, the Dayton schools have been taking extra precautions in keeping kids and staff free from sickness. This includes doing extra sanitizing in the school buildings, providing hand sanitizer stations and continual education for the kids about washing hands and keeping distance from peers. Everyone is told, should they cough or sneeze, to cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash, and clean hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer (if soap and water are not readily available.) Parents are asked to keep children at home if they have any signs of a head cold or a fever of 99.5 or higher, and to keep them out of school until symptoms are gone and the fever is below 99.5 for a full 24 hours without medication.

Doug Johnson shared, “We were laughing because we were in the elementary office the other morning and I’m sitting there and I’m hearing this noise. Of course, I don’t hear as well as most people. I’m hearing this noise and it’s sounds like somebody is singing. I couldn’t figure out what it was. Well, it was the kids in the bathroom and they were singing the ABC song to make sure they wash their hands well….They had gone over that in class...earlier this year, because of the regular cold and flu season. We had the health department here teaching the kids K-3.”

The DW combine meeting prompts school boards to take a step back from naming new school mascot. Superintendent, Doug Johnson proposed that the board decide on a new process for naming a school mascot during the March 4 board meeting. This is due to the number of comments at the Combine Committee meeting that the process was not followed in Dayton, and that it was rushed. Those present at the Combine Committee were concerned that the public, including alumni, did not become more aware that a new mascot might be chosen, or that their input was needed.

There was also concern that the option of retaining the current mascots was not given to the kids as was suggested by some in the community. Dayton Associated Student Body (ASB) and school staff could not verify that the limited public input was even considered. Additionally, students at Dayton Middle and High Schools were told that the February 14 vote from six choices would narrow the list to two, then decided by a final vote from students at both Dayton and Waitsburg.

The ASB felt more comfortable to allow the board to decide on a new process for determining the mascot. The Board is committed to coming up with a fair process, presenting it to the ASB and the Combine Committee, and following through on that process.

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