By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
Virus mitigation measures in Sitka schools have proven effective, officials reported to the School Board at their regular meeting Wednesday.
Blatchley Middle School Principal Ben White said that one adult at his school tested positive for the novel coronavirus and was asymptomatic.
“When I found this out I was like ‘Are we going to have to shut down classrooms, shut down cohorts?’ Thanks to the mitigation that we followed, we didn’t have to shut down any classrooms, didn’t have to close any cohorts. So it’s great that we as a district and Blatchley as a school are following those things, because we have evidence that it actually works,” White told the board.
White told the Sentinel later that while coronavirus prevention measures are not enjoyable, they have demonstrated their usefulness.
“To be honest, nobody wants to wear masks five hours a day, sit six feet apart, wash their hands 20 times a day. Nobody wants this, but it’s reassuring to the staff that this stuff really does make a difference,” he said.
Superintendent John Holst reaffirmed this.
“It’s not if, it’s when we have a case among students and staff. It’s going to happen at some point, but because of the levels of mitigation we take we’re hoping it will be isolated and not a big outbreak,” Holst told the newspaper after the board meeting.
He added that quarantine rules for staff members who travel are making a difference too. Under the district’s current rules, a staff member must receive two negative COVID-19 tests before returning to school buildings.
“Circumstances for teachers are very different than they are for the general public, but it’s a good thing. It’s very inconvenient, I can tell you, having to work from home. But that whole process is starting to make a difference. We’re not going to have any staff members or students infecting anyone else in the building,” Holst said.
Board member Blossom Twitchell said that virus precautions have been shown to work.
“The precautions and the plan that we have in place have shown that it works, and it protects our students. I couldn’t be more proud of the work that has gone in and it shows. The hard work has shown,” Twitchell said.
Board member Eric Van Cise said members of the public have expressed confidence in the school district’s decisions.
“The most common thing I’m hearing from the public and from parents is confidence. Confidence in the decisions being made and that they are being heard,” Van Cise said.
Some board members also recognizedthe two winners of Tuesday’s School Board election. With 70 ballots left to be counted on Friday, the city clerk’s office said, Andrew Hames has 2,629 votes, and Blossom Twitchell 1,649. (The third candidate, Cass Pook, received 1,433 votes.) Hames and Twitchell were named to the board June 24, and will retain their spots.
The Assembly will certify the election results this coming Tuesday.
Holst told the Sentinel that Hames and Twitchell are good board members.
“The short time that they have both been on the board, they have been wonderful board members. They’ve done a great job asking difficult questions. I’m looking forward to working with them,” he said.
Board president Amy Morrison congratulated the winners on their election.
“I’ve enjoyed working with both of them and look forward to continuing to work with them,” Morrison said.
Twitchell said that continuing the search for a permanent superintendent will be a high priority for her.
“My number one is really beginning to hit the ground running with the superintendent job position,” she said.
She added that as a board member she hopes to interface with the community as well.
“Moving forward, I’m going to be very happy to work with Sitka High School (where she is the board liaison) and really get my feet in the mud with different meetings within the community. Part of being on a board is not just going to meetings but seeing how the community and entities within the community can collaborate with the School Board,” Twitchell said.
Hames said that he looks forward to his time on the board.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time, the last two months after I was appointed to the board, and I feel really honored and humbled that so much of the community would like to see me continue that work,” Hames said.
He echoed Twitchell as well, saying that the superintendent search is a high priority.
“Our big priority is figuring out who our new superintendent is going to be. I look forward to working with the board on that vetting process,” he said.
The board also discussed possible alterations to Pupil-to-Teacher Ratios. Changes in PTRs, Holst said, would create a framework for the board when the budget cycle comes around.
“In November, you can expect that the administration will bring you a recommendation with PTRs that we believe we can live with. So if you come to a point in our budget process where we have to make cuts, you have a framework in which to operate,” Holst said.
The board also thanked Sitka Tribe of Alaska for its partnership during the pandemic.
“They have stepped up to take care of their citizens and their families in the time of this pandemic… Because of that (support) we were able to have laptops and supplies,” Twitchell said.
The superintendent agreed.
“We really, really value their partnership,” Holst said.
The board also approved a number of policies on first reading, including discussions on dress code and the employment of retired teachers.
The School Board will meet again October 15, at 6 p.m. in Harrigan Centennial Hall to swear in Hames and Twitchell, following Assembly certification of the election.
