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Friday Board Bulletin 9/17/2021


Posted Date: 09/17/2021

Friday Board Bulletin 9/17/2021

Board Members:

Thank you for your hard work at our board meeting on Wednesday night! The discussion and dialogue were fantastic! Sometimes our meetings are going to go a little bit longer, but I think we can all hopefully agree that the extra time spent at this meeting was well worth the effort!

It has obviously been a challenging week as discussions about mask mandates have resurfaced. At this point it does appear to have settled down quite a bit. I have continued to remind constituents that right now our metrics do not suggest a need to implement a mandate. Of the 56 school districts that make up our AEA, 41% have stated their plan is to continue with their current mitigation plan. Although the decisions of our neighbors are largely irrelevant, there is some comfort that comes in the phrase 'strength in numbers'.  

On a related note, we are still awaiting a final ruling from the federal government in regard to the vaccine requirement for our employees. To remind you, there are differing thoughts on whether or not the federal mandate applies to schools. Some believe not, since schools were not included in verbiage of the order while others disagree stating that since Iowa has a statewide OSHA plan and that most school districts are Medicaid recipients, the mandate would apply. We are currently reviewing the order and awaiting further guidance. 

Have a great weekend! 

Dr. Tony Voss, Superintendent