The board also discussed a possible "sick out" being held by over 700 teachers who plan on calling out of work on Monday in protest of hybrid learning.
MERIDIAN, Idaho — The West Ada School District held a special board meeting Thursday at 3 p.m. on approving a hybrid learning model for schools as Ada County is now in category red of coronavirus spread.
One of the major issues brought up in the meeting that there is a large planned "sick out" of teachers and staff on Monday if there is not full remote learning by then.
During the meeting, assistant superintendent Brett Heller brought up that 728 teachers across the school district are planning on calling out sick on Monday. 220 of those are in the district's middle schools, 150 in its high schools and 180 in the elementary schools.
550 of those absences were still not yet covered by substitutes
"What we had as far as how many absences are already in the books for Monday and it's significant that it's to the point where it's more than we're going to be able to cover this up as of right now," Heller explained.
The board had two very important tasks for Thursday's meeting - to select a new board chairman and discuss a possible hybrid learning plan while in the red category.
At the end of Tuesday's board meeting, West Ada Chairman Ed Klopfenstein abruptly resigned saying he doesn't think other board members appreciate what he does.
He will still serve on the board, however, he just won't be the chair of the board.
In the opening moments of the special meeting, the board unanimously voted Dr. Philip Neuhoff as the new chairman of the board of trustees.
In addition to electing a new chairman, the board also planned to make a final decision on how they will move forward in their reopening plan in the red category.
In the past, being in category red meant remote learning, but Central District Health gave Boise schools the green light to continue moving forward with its plan to bring kids back to the classroom.
At Tuesday night's meeting, assistant superintendent Brett Heller proposed a hybrid learning plan for the red category, were students would be broken up into two teams.
Team One would go to school Tuesdays and Thursdays and Team Two would go Wednesdays and Fridays, with everybody remote on Mondays.
Heller said this plan would give more time for teachers to plan for the rest of the week.
“I think the answer is we are going to give teachers as much time as we can, as much guidance as we can, we are going to roll up our sleeves and continue to work together and do a better job every day," Heller said.
If the plan is approved it would start no later than Monday, Oct. 19.
The Board of Trustees heard some testimony from a few people, including the president of the West Ada Education Association, a high school teacher and a parent in the district.
Eric Thies, president of WAEA, said that in-person learning wouldn't allow for social distancing, which is encouraged by health officials around the globe, and that teachers will not work on Monday if the new plan doesn't involve fully remote learning.
"There is not a teacher in this district that doesn't love their job, or students. Hurts me to say that if we are not remote on Monday, we are not going into our buildings. It hurts me to say that. I don't say it on behalf of my members I say it on behalf of the 700 teachers who have the guts to stand up to their principals and to parents and to protect children because other people won't," he said.
The board 3-1-1 voted in favor of Heller's alternating school schedule plan, which takes effect on Monday, Oct. 19. Board members said their concerns about the district's ability to handle all students learning remotely at once on such short notice.
Now the district, parents, and students wait to see what Monday's "sick-out" day brings and if those 728 teachers do call out, leaving hundreds of classrooms without a teacher or substitute.
October 16, 2020 at 12:54AM
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WATCH: West Ada School Board votes in favor of an alternating school schedule while in category red - KTVB.com
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