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TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2021
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Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 157th Year - No. 101
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BRIEFS NCMC Board Meeting
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees will meet in regular session Tuesday evening in the Frey Administrative Building. The board will hold a public hearing to receive comment on the proposed tax levy (.399 on the $100 assessed valuation) at 5:25 p.m., with the regular board meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Items on the announced agenda include employee introductions, a housing report, a Head Start report, reports from the vice president for academic affairs, vice president of student affairs and the college president. The board will also consider bids/purchases, review the Head Start annual report, hold the first reading on a board policy revision and approve employments, a job description and Head Start items. An executive session to discuss personnel, legal matters and real estate is also on the agenda.
Nursing Home Meeting
R-T Photo/Ronda Lickteig
BACK TO SCHOOL There were (mostly) smiles on the faces of students and (definitely) on the faces of parents as they attended open house at Rissler Elementary School Thursday evening. Rissler Principal Susan Gott welcomed students to the school, where classes got under way today (Tuesday) for the 202122 school year. In addition to Trenton, students at Gallatin R-5, Laredo R-7, Princeton R-5, Grundy R-5 and Newtown-Harris R-2 all began the year on Tuesday. The school year begins on Wednesday for students at Pleasant View R-6, Spickard R-2, Tri-County R-7 and Harrison County R-4 at Gilman City.
The Grundy County Nursing Home District Board of Directors met Tuesday, Aug. 17, hearing a report on activities at Sunnyview Nursing Home. Administrator Jerry Doerhoff told board members that residents enjoyed a variety of activities during the month, including the monthly birthday party, the Independence Day parade, carnival games, gardening, noodle ball, homemade ice cream, porch time and the resident council meeting. Board members approved a Conflict of Interest Resolution and discussed the work on the energy project. A closed session was held to approve minutes from the July closed session. The next regular meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 21.
Grundy, Tri-County Boards Meet Masks Optional For R-5 Students To Start Year The Grundy R-5 Board of Education agreed that masks will be optional to start the 2021-22 school year. According to information provided by Superintendent Phil Fox concerning Wednesday evening’s board meeting, the board approved a resolution for COVID mitigation strategies. It was determined that masks will be optional in all school buildings for both students and staff. Masks will be required on all buses for the drivers and students per federal law. Other strategies that will be implemented include social distancing when possible, extra cleaning of all surfaces and assigned seats in all classrooms to assist in the contact tracing process. The tax levy for 2021 was set at $5.9207 on the $100 assessed valuation, a number that is identical to last year. The district’s
total assessed valuation is $11,332,038. Multiple routine items were approved, including the eligibility criteria for Free and Reduced Lunches, the special education compliance model for the coming year, preliminary bus routes (the final routes will be reviewed at the next meeting), the Annual Secretary of the Board Report and a transportation agreement with the Laredo R-7 School District. Board members conducted a walk through of the elementary and high school buildings and heard reports from Elementary Principal Jennifer Dyer and High School Principal Matt Rayls. Following an executive session, the board accepted the resignation of Bobbie Novak as music teacher and hired Whitley Richman to serve as part-time music instructor and junior high boys basketball coach. The next regular meeting of the R-5 board is scheduled for 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 13. Tri-County R-7 The Tri-County R-7 Board of Education took action on the 2021 tax levy as well as amend-
ing plans related to the return to school in regard to COVID-19. Superintendent David Probasco provided information that indicated the board set the levy at $4.327 on the $100 assessed valuation, which included a temporary amount of .25 cents. The board took a voluntary rollback of 25 cents to lower the rate from the ceiling of $4.577. The rollback was done in response to the increase in federal funding that the district has received, according to Probasco. The board discussed the COVID-19 Planning and Response and amended plans to treat students and staff equally in regard to their vaccination status for attendance/quarantines. The district’s “welcome back” letter can be found on its website and includes information about the return to school. Masks are recommended for students, but not required, however, they must be worn on the bus. Adults are required to wear a mask in the. building. Classes begin on Wednesday, Aug. 25, with an early dismissal at 12:30 p.m. In other business, the board ap-
Submitted Photo
New teachers in the Grundy R-5 School District for the 202122 school year are, from left, front row, third grade teacher Lindsay Rhoades, preschool teacher Tiffany Carver; and kindergarten teacher Sam DeRyke; back row, middle school/high school math instructor Niki Edmondston; fourth grade teacher Marsha McLain; elementary special education teacher Doug Yates and middle school/high school special education teacher Jerry Kiger.
proved the purchase of the Boardworks program as presented and held an executive session to discuss personnel matters. No announcement was made fol-
lowing the closed session. The next regular meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 8.
Quarantines Expected As School Starts Pfizer Vaccine Gets Okay, Clinic Set For Aug. 30 As the COVID-19 numbers continue to rise again in Grundy County, it is hoped that with the FDA giving approval to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine the number of vaccinated residents will also see an increase. Elizabeth Gibson, administrator of the Grundy County Health Department, said she believes there are those who were waiting for full FDA approval to receive a vaccine. With that news being released Monday morning, it is hoped the next Pfizer
clinic, scheduled for Aug. 30, will see a full house. The benefits to getting a vaccine, she said, are twofold. “If you’re vaccinated you’re not required to quarantine unless you have symptoms,” she said, also noting that breakthrough cases, while they are occurring, are often less severe. As of Monday morning, Grundy County has 58 active cases for a total of 1,511 total positive cases since the pandemic was declared in March 2020. The county also recorded one new death, bringing that total to 44. Ms. Gibson said there were several who were released from quarantine over the weekend. Quarantining is a big
issue as students return to class this week without a mask mandate in any of the area’s schools. Everyone should be prepared for quarantines and the likelihood of increased cases. “I think we will see increased quarantines,” she said. “Just because it’s not mandatory (to wear a mask) doesn’t mean you can’t wear one. What you need to remember is that you’re contagious two days before you start showing symptoms and that’s why masking is so important. People do the right thing by staying home if they don’t feel good, but by the time you have symptoms, it’s already too late.” The Delta variant is more contagious than what
we were seeing in this area during the last school year and that is likely one reason the number of cases in younger children has increased. In addition, those under 12 cannot get vaccinated so they are at a disadvantage when it comes to contracting the virus. So, should children tested? Yes, according to Ms. Gibson. “If they’ve had known exposure, they should be tested,” she said. “We want to know so they can be isolated, as well as those in their household and others they’ve had close contact with.” She commented that those who are using home tests are calling the health [See COVID, Page 6]
BLACK & GOLD Bulldogs hold scrimmage at C.F. Russell Stadium on Friday Sports, Page 2
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