Wood County’s level of COVID-19 transmission has been elevated from substantial to high prompting the county health department to issue new recommended guidelines for school districts, including Penta Career Center.
At a special meeting on August 16, county health commissioner Ben Robison released guidelines for school districts to follow. They are:
•Wear a mask while in school regardless of whether a person is vaccinated or is a student or staff member.
•Utilize social distancing as much as possible with three feet of separation in classrooms and more than six feet in lunch, choir, physical education or other indoor venues.
•Stay home when feeling ill or having tested positive for COVID-19.
•Identify people exposed and keep them home while they represent a potential of becoming ill.
•Continue regular handwashing.
•Cover up when coughing or sneezing at school for non-illness related issues such as allergies. If sick with a cough or cold, stay home.
•Maximize ventilation in buildings.
•Clean and disinfect surfaces regularly, particularly high touch areas.
Mr. Robison said it is his goal and that of school districts to “keep kids in the classroom and in-person learning. That’s the context for releasing these guidelines.”
He continued, “Our success will depend on a partnership where everyone is working together. Partnership is critical.”
He believes that if districts follow the guidelines the county will experience the “best outcomes” for students and staff.
In response, Penta Superintendent Ed Ewers said, “Our plan is to encourage our students and staff to be vaccinated and to wear a mask.”
He added, “We are maximizing distancing whereever possible and have maintained the extended distancing in the commons during our lunch periods. We will continue to use six-foot tables instead of the eight-person round tables that we normally use.
“Penta is also paying close attention to the positive case numbers being reported by zip code. This data is one of the factors being used to make informed decisions.”
Other health and safety protocols that will continue to be implemented at the career center include:
•Hand sanitizer readily available in every classroom/office and public spaces.
•Face coverings are available to students, staff and guests every day.
•Touchless thermal body temperature scanning of all students and guests entering the building.
•Touchless handles have been installed in restroom facilities.
•Bottle-fill only for water fountains.
•Safety shields to cafeteria serving areas.
•UV lighting and hydrogen peroxide ionization units, effective in killing COVID-19 and many other viruses, have been installed in the HVAC units.
•Building is equipped with CO2 occupancy sensor technology, which automatically adjusts ventilation levels in the classrooms and gathering spaces.
The superintendent said that in addition, administrators are recommending to staff and students that they self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and stay home when ill; utilize consistent and correct mask wearing as a means to prevent spread of virus; practice frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and utilize sanitizing products provided, wiping down shared hard surfaces and equipment.
Mr. Robison believes the guidelines being taken are “important not just in schools, but community-wide.” He added, “It is not realistic to see the schools be successful” without community support.
“We need to do this collectively as a community. I encourage everyone to join the fight,” he concluded.
Personnel
At Penta’s August 5 board meeting, action was taken on a number of personnel matters for 2021-22. The school board:
•Accepted resignations from Amanda Miller-Ricketts, career based intervention instructor, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year; Anne Duvall, career assessment, July 13; McKenczie White instructional aide, August 31, and Julie Zuchowski, maintenance seasonal, July 22.
•Hired as support personnel Bradley Gilvert, maintenance, one-year limited contract; Rachel Ewing and Stephanie Miller, instructional aides, 180-day probationary contract, and Skyler Nestor, student worker, $10.50 per hour.
They also approved the employment of Ken Blandin, Merl Creps, Charlie Getz, David Little and Patricia Lemon as substitute bus/van drivers, $15.87 per hour, and Marsha Berger, Mr. Creps, Dianna Hillabrand and Lewis Smith, substitute job coaches, $15.34 per hour.
•Employed a number of certified personnel for 2021-22. They are Jacob Kraegel, welding, one-year limited contract with three extended service days; Ashley Shaw, intervention specialist, one-year limited contract with one extended service day; Troy Slattman, assistant supervisor, oneyear limited contract; Tyler Stull, science, one-year limited contract; Brady Ruffer, adult education ASPIRE instructor, part time at $25 per hour, July 1 through June 30, 2022; Kamal Barakat, Ryan Gackstetter and Tim McGaharan, adult education instructors, $25 per hour; Karena Cook, five extended service days; Brad Odenweller, two extended service days; Branden May, seven extended service days; Deborah Winters, three extended service days.
Other Business
In other business, the board:
•Recognized two teams of students who placed first in the nation at the DECA and SkillsUSA competitions.
•Approved appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, including PELL grant, $100,000; student/success wellness, $245,074; ASPIRE, $860,175; GEERS, $281,616, and Carl Perkins-Secondary, $437,571.
•Revised the organizational chart, making changes to the roles of existing supervisory staff and their areas of responsibility. The board also added a new assistant supervisor position in the Office of Student Affairs and created the new position of assistant director of career-technical instruction.
•Approved three requests for attendance at professional meetings.
The next board of education meeting will be at 5:15 p.m., Wednesday, September 8, in the board meeting room of the career center, 9301 Buck Road, Perrysburg Township, and is open to the public.
~Jane Maiolo
