Board Adopts 'Test To Stay' Option

The McDonald County R-1 School District Board of Education, at its Oct. 14 meeting, adopted a new covid-19 protocol under which more students can stay in school after being in close contact with a covid-19 positive person.

The "test to stay" option, allows students to stay in school, provided they are masked consistently and correctly at all times and test a minimum of three times with negative results during the first seven days. Students may participate in extracurricular activities under specific testing protocols.

A discussion was also held about differing protocols between McDonald County and surrounding districts.

Superintendent Mark Stanton said a group of superintendents sent a letter to the department of education and the department of health addressing the differing protocols. Specifically, he said, McDonald County has been following the rule set by the health department that, if there is no mask mandate and a student is within six feet of a positive person, they are a contact. If they are a contact and they are wearing a mask or vaccinated, they can stay in school rather than being quarantined. However, surrounding districts have been following a three-foot rule rather than the six-foot rule.

Board vice president Josh Banta said Joplin is among the school districts following the three-foot rule. He said if a district that big is doing that, it is "hard to swallow" that a rural district like McDonald County has to follow the six-foot rule.

Stanton said he believed a difference in health departments was part of the issue and that there should be a collaborative effort. Board members agreed, and he suggested a meeting with the health department.

Board members Banta, Chris Smith and Bobby Parish volunteered to meet with the McDonald County Health Department and school administration.

Also, in a four to three vote, the board approved purchasing turf for the baseball and softball fields at a price of $1.4 million.

Director of operations Will Gordon presented the bid from Mid America Sports, saying the dealer felt pretty confident the fields could be completed before the season starts if the turf was ordered within 10 days from the meeting.

Board president Frank Woods said he supported turf on the football field because it saved money on the soccer field but did not know how he could justify turf on the baseball and softball fields.

Gordon answered it was an item from the capital improvement fund that could be accomplished and "a great opportunity for our kids."

Parish said, at the end of practices, players are accustomed to taking care of the field, and that gives them a sense of pride and contribution.

Athletic Director Bo Bergen said he hasn't talked to one student who is not "over the moon" about the turf. He also said giving students good facilities can also give them a sense of pride and that another issue was affording them the same opportunities as neighboring school districts.

Board members Smith, Banta, Andy McClain and Dennis Bergen voted for the turf, and John Carlin, Parish and Woods voted against.

In other business, the board:

Gave Gordon permission to seek bids to resurface the track.

Granted permission for the FFA to attend National Convention in Indiana on Oct. 27-30.