The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON—The Dayton School Board met Wednesday, August 19, for a regularly scheduled meeting. As the district prepares to welcome students back to in-person classes, they are adjusting their protocols and procedures to stay aligned with the Department of Health recommendations.

Principal Kristina Brown began her report by thanking the school board for being patient with staff and administration as they prepare for the school’s opening. The district is anticipating a ‘Red and Gold’ schedule. Students will rotate class periods throughout the week to ensure a safe, socially distanced learning experience.

Brown said that she had asked teachers to prepare a distance-learning plan by August 25, to be ready if the district has to move to a distance learning model at any point in the year. As of Wednesday, the district had 13 students registered for full-time distance learning. Students enrolled in the distance learning model will likely take courses through Apex Learning and will take classes that align with the school’s required credits. The school is developing a safe plan to help distance-learning students with educational resources.

Superintendent Guy Strot reported that he was very impressed with how the teachers and staff are preparing for the school’s reopening. Strot also requested teachers to have a distance-learning plan in place to be prepared for a closure.

The school will be doing a staggered start for its students. Day one, Tuesday, will be the first day for first, sixth, and ninth grades. Second, third, seventh, and tenth grades will start on Wednesday, and fourth, fifth, eighth and eleventh, twelfth grades will be on Thursday. Friday, all students will come back at once. Detailed schedules have been sent out to parents and caregivers.

Strot gave the board an update from the second community input meeting from earlier in the month. Thirty-five participants called into the Zoom meeting and voiced questions and concerns about teachers passing papers out and how to keep the kids safe. Strot said that participants brought up some great points that he had not thought of, and he was working with the appropriate committees to address the concerns.

Custodial and maintenance staff are currently moving hard-to-disinfect furniture, like the cloth chairs in the commons, to storage.

Paula Moisio reported that there had not been many changes to the Dayton School District’s budget, but she said she was pleased with the way things were starting. She informed the board that there is a lot of funding that is up in the air right now, like transportation-related funds.

The board accepted Ag-Link’s bid to provide oil and fuel to the Dayton School District. The board also approved a future surplus supply sale. The meeting adjourned after the action items were voted on.