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Ontonagon School Board working through restrictions

As with school boards all over the western Upper Peninsula, the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on the students, teachers, administration, and support staff. That was the topic of concern for the Ontonagon Area School District (OASD) Board in their most recent meeting.

“OASD has approximately 25% of their student body choosing the hybrid option or remote learning option. However we have students that are returning for face-to-face instruction. We’re four weeks into it,” OASD Superintendent/Principal Jim Bobula said.

After Bobula made that report, OASD Board President Nancy Mattson questioned him.

“I see that some districts are asking that students that opt for virtual and remain in the virtual program for a semester or term…you are meaning that students (that return) are making the lab requirements at the time?” she asked.

“At this time we are,” Bobula said. “It is difficult for our teachers and students who do return in mid-marking period, if they don’t have anything completed in their virtual program. If they have a social studies virtual class and they come back into the face-to-face, and they don’t have anything done virtually, they are essentially starting out at 0%. It is very important that those students understand that.

“If they are choosing to come in part way through a marking period, they need to be well aware of where they will be starting at. The fact that their virtual learning option and their virtual learning classes need to have work completed or they need to keep up with those classes.”

Bobula stated that is a challenge and that the OASD is under the belief that face-to-face instruction is the best option for all students.

“We also recognize that there is this virus out there, and there is a concern,” he said. “We understand those concerns with parents and we understand their wishes to keep students home until they feel comfortable to send them back.”

The new Chromebooks have arrived and after meeting the requirements of returning the old Chromebooks, and the parents/guardians have signed the Chromebook user agreement, the new ones will be distributed. “We ask that parents with virtual students call and make an appointment to come in and pick up your students device,” said Bobula.

The Maker Space equipment has also arrived. This past Friday, the students had an initial walk through orientation. The staff training for this will be on Oct. 9.

“I would like to thank and acknowledge how extremely helpful and important is to have received the financial assistance from the Portage Health Foundation ($18,750) and the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District ($23,545) to assist with additional cost to our district during this unprecedented COVID-19,” Bobula said.

“Thank you to those organizations. It is very important to continue to allow us to educate our kids.”

Bobula updated the board on the Pandemic Learning and the Extended Continuity Plan, along with meeting the goals submitted to the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District (GOISD). The plan will be sent to the board and the teachers prior to the Oct. 1 approval date.

“This is so people can provide feedback,” said Bobula. 

Those plans and compliances will be reviewed and reported monthly at the board meetings.

“After the October meeting, we will need to reaffirm, readjust, whatever is in our plan as we move forward through this,” he said.

Bobula reported on the cleaning protocols and that the district has ordered two additional electro-static foggers for sanitizing the building. This is done twice per week in classrooms, hallways, locker-rooms, and bathrooms. It is done daily on buses.

“Educational planning and athletic planning is an ongoing process,” he said. “It is continuously changing. It is very stressful on staff and on administration in every district across the U.P. The additional compliances that our state legislators have put on school districts, it makes it very difficult for teachers to continue to educate our kids. Everyone is trying to figure out the compliance measures that the state has put forward with extremely very little guidance.”

The DMG contacted 110th State Representative Greg Markkanen to see what help he can provide, along with his thoughts about the guidelines that Bobula feels are put on by state legislators.

“As a former teacher and your state representative, I understand the frustration that administrators and teachers are going through. We worked very hard as the U.P. Delegation on giving schools local control and flexibility they needed on the issues they are facing,” Markkanen said. 

“I can’t answer for Michigan Department of Education,” he continued. “The bureaucracy in Lansing are not stepping up and doing their job. We had to negotiate with the governor, who had her demands as well. The U.P. Delegation also presented the governor with a letter asking her to clarify where the science is behind requiring athletics to wear masks while competing or practicing.

“We have yet to see any of that science regarding her decision.”

Markkanen stated that he is also frustrated and wanted school administration and educators know that his office is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that he is there to help get clarification and to help.

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