Your Hometown News Source
Your Hometown News Source
DAYTON-The School District No. 2 Board approved the non-disciplinary dismissal of Bill Massey for noncompliance to the vaccine mandate at the meeting on October 20.
Following an executive session during the regular Dayton School Board meeting on October 20, the Board approved 3-1 the non-disciplinary dismissal of Bill Massey for noncompliance to the vaccine mandate. Board member Fred White had the dissenting vote. According to Superintendent Guy Strot from his report during a previous meeting, Massey is one of two District employees who did not get the vaccine and did not apply for an exemption.
Athletic Director, Sam Korslund reported the fall sports season will be over at the end of the month with the winter sports beginning the following week.
COVID guidelines have come out from Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) and the State Department of Health requiring that for high contact indoor sports such as basketball, all unvaccinated players must be tested within 24 hours before a game. If tested positive, an additional test will be given and if negative, the athlete and team can play. If positive, it will be up to the local Public Health office to determine whether the whole team has to quarantine.
Board member Jeff McCowen inquired about privacy for the students in regards to their vaccination status when testing. Korslund said they would pull everyone aside individually in a private place whether they are being tested or not.
There is no cost to the district for COVID testing. “There are 2,000 tests were provided by the State at no cost to the district and acknowledged that whether vaccinated or not, people get COVID and could be tested either way,” said Guy Strot, Dayton School District Superintendent. Korslund added the teams are not required to wear masks.
Grace Trump indicated that this is Mental Health Month and the ASB will be posting Affirmation Boards around the school year-round with the goal “to bring more positivity into the school.
Elementary Principal Amy Cox reported that a leave of absence was permitted for fourth grade teacher Dan Rushing. Hannalee Farrell has been pulled to substitute for his class instead of offering the technology and computer classes for the elementary students. She also expressed candidates have been interviewed for the kindergarten teacher vacancy left by Morgan Stone, and a teacher will be hired November 1.
Cox also reported, “The first set of data for our new behavior management system is showing that we have a need for more coverage on the playground. More behavior issues are happening there than anywhere else. We have worked really hard to work out a system to get more adults on the playground before school and at lunch time and hopefully this is going to make a difference, but I know we can always use more people.”
Strot and Brown agreed that the newly formed Learning Center has been a good resource particularly for students needing extra help to understand materials or to keep up with their school work. The first purpose of the space is academic help over a space used as a disciplinary measure. The district is already moving towards having it also available outside of school hours.
Strot added that the teacher originally hired for middle and high school physical education (PE), MacNarland will be beginning soon allowing Gary Eastvedt who is currently the substitute PE teacher to work in the Learning Center as he was hired to do. With the recent shortage of substitute teachers in the District, Strot announced several are in the process of qualifying and additional subs are being sought. This way, teachers don’t have to be pulled from other classes to fill in.
The district will be offering threat assessment training with Education Service District (ESD) 123 for staff on how to distinguish what is a real threat in the school and how to file a report.
The anticipated Innovia Foundation sponsored Data Walk revealing the results and a plan for the district based off of the “Say YES to Education” survey given to staff, parents and the community last spring will be held at the Fairgrounds on November 9 which includes dinner. Registration information will be available soon.
