WBCSD to remain in category 3 reopening plan

At a West Bonner County School board meeting Wednesday, members moved to keep schools in their category 3 reopening plan until after winter break.

Addressing the school board, Superintendent Paul Anselmo said providing consistency in the educational experience for students is important.

In several times this school year, the district had schools close on a Friday to accommodate changing COVID-19 plans. Each time that happens it adds complications for teachers, students and families, he said.

He also added that although cases have been high within the county, spread within schools itself has been limited.

“I ask the board to leave us where we’re at,” he said.

In a report to the school board, Priest River Lamanna High School principal Paul Lamb said that the school has been able to adjust well to the hybrid learning model, and have been able to offer numerous students who have internet connectivity problems access to the school 4 days a week by putting those students in the library or labs and social distancing.

“As long as we’re in hybrid, the high school is doing great,” he said.

One point of concern, Lamb said, is that midterm grades showed a record number of failing grades.

“It kind of seems like they still have the attitude from the spring that they will be forgiven for missing assignments,” he said.

Although those results are a concern, Lamb said, WBCSD is not alone in seeing challenges with their student population during a time of COVID.

“From what [I’ve heard] talking to other principals, yes, it’s a trend that’s happening in other areas,” he said. “Their anxiety levels are going up, procrastination is going up.”

One upside, Lamb said, is that many of the students who are missing assignments are also the students coming in for internet access on their off days. Because of that, it’s easier to help those students up their grades the second half of the semester, he said.

Wilma Hahn, West Bonner County Education Association president, also spoke to the board and said the district will need to work to become more competitive in their salaries for teachers to retain staff.

“The community wants to make sure teachers stay in our district,” she said. “The teachers who are leaving our district [to work at districts in the surrounding area] are willing to drive half an hour to 45 minutes.”

Lastly, the board approved the facilities committee project proposal, which included an intercom system to Priest River Junior High School and Priest River Elementary, and unit ventilators and a gravel chip loop at Priest River Elementary.

The intercom system was necessary, Anselmo said, because there was no efficient way to communicate across the schools.

“We had to do something to communicate,” he said. “A walkie talkie doesn’t cut it.”