Loveland, Ohio – On April 7 the Loveland Board of Education held a work session using a remote meeting platform.
Here is a re-play of the meeting.
1.1 Adoption of Board Agenda
1.2 Pledge of Allegiance
2. Superintendent Discussion Topics
2.1 Progress Report on Building Closure Due to COVID-19
2.2 Planning Commission
A RESOLUTION DECLARING AN EMERGENCY, SUSPENDING BOARD POLICY RELATED TO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT BOARD MEETINGS, AND AUTHORIZING REMOTE MEETINGS
WHEREAS, COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death, is caused by the SARS-C0V-2 virus, which is a new strain of coronavirus that had not been previously identified in humans and can easily spread from person to person between individuals who are in close contact with each other (within about 6 feet) through respiratory droplets produced when an infected persons coughs or sneezes. It may also be possible to contract COVID-19 through the touching of a surface that has the virus on it then touching one’s own mouth, nose or eyes; and
WHEREAS, the Governor has declared a state of emergency with respect to the spread of the novel coronavirus; and
WHEREAS, the Director of the Ohio Department of Health has ordered that all K-12 schools be closed to students through 11:59 p.m. on May 1, 2020, and this order may be extended beyond that date; and
WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Health has further ordered residents of the state to stay at home except to conduct essential business and prohibits public or private gatherings of more than ten individuals occurring outside a single household; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 197 was enacted on March 27, 2020 as an emergency measure which was designed to assist schools and other public bodies to maintain operations during this health emergency in a way that complies with orders issued by the state and federal government; and
WHEREAS, in order to permit the fair and orderly expression of public comment at its meetings, the Board has adopted a public participation policy; and
WHEREAS, while the Board intends to continue to conduct the business of Loveland City Schools and to keep the community informed of its discussions and decisions related to the official business of the District, the Board must also act to protect the health and safety of its members, staff, students and other community members who may enter on to school premises.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the Loveland City School District, that after careful consideration and evaluation of the information before it:
Section 1. The Board of Education hereby finds that an emergency exists with regard to the spread of a serious communicable disease, COVID-19.
Section 2. In order to prevent against the further spread of the novel coronavirus, the Board of Education hereby temporarily suspends its public participation policy, which shall no longer be in effect upon adoption of this Resolution by a majority of the Board. Such policy may be reinstated through a subsequent action taken by the Board of Education.
Section 3.In order to enable the Board of Education to continue with District operations during the public health emergency,the Board of Education may meet telephonically or through other electronic means, including conference calls or other meeting technology to conduct the public business of the public body while emergency orders of the federal and/or state government are in effect limiting public gatherings. Members will be considered present regardless of whether they attend in person or remotely, and their votes shall be counted for the purpose of determining quorum. Such meetings will be properly noticed to the public through the established and usual method of notice to the public.
SECTION 4. In order to provide an opportunity for attendance by the public, news media, and any other person that has requested notification of meetings via the technology utilized will be made available to the extent reasonably possible and feasible. The means of technology and information on how to access the meeting as a member of the public will be made available. The Board of Education intends to fully honor its obligations under the Open Meetings Act (R.C. §121.22) through measures approved by House Bill 197 (2020).
Section 5. The Board of Education hereby finds and determines that all formal actions relative to the adoption of this resolution were taken in an open meeting of this Board of Education, and that all deliberations of this Board of Education and of its committees, if any, which resulted in formal action, were taken in meetings open to the public, in full compliance with applicable legal requirements, including Section 121.22, ORC and House Bill 197 (2020).
Section 6. This resolution shall be in full force and effect from and immediately after its adoption and shall supersede any prior resolution or act of this Board of Education that may be inconsistent or duplicative with the provisions of this resolution.
3.2 Resolution for a Contingency Plan for the 2019-2020 school year in the event school is closed for more than the hours permitted under board policy and state law
CONTINGENCY PLAN
FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR
IN THE EVENT SCHOOL IS CLOSED
FOR MORE THAN THE HOURS PERMITTED UNDER
BOARD POLICY AND STATE LAW
WHEREAS, Ohio Revised Code §3313.48 mandates that a school district must be open for instruction with pupils in attendance for a minimum number of hours each school year; and
WHEREAS, R.C. §3313.482 authorizes a board of education to adopt a plan that permits students to make up missed hours of instruction via online/remote learning in the event that schools are closed for a disease epidemic or other reasons; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 197 (2020), which was enacted on March 27, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic health emergency, authorizes the Loveland City School District Board of Education (the “Board”) to adopt a plan to provide for online learning opportunities for students to make up an unlimited number of hours in lieu of attendance on days when buildings are not open to students during the 2019-2020 school year in compliance with any order issued by the Ohio Director of Health and/or a local board of health; and
WHEREAS, the Board has developed a contingency plan in accordance with R.C. §3313.482 under which district students will make up any time missed through online instruction/remote learning that caused the district to fall below the minimum number of hours of instruction required by section 3313.48 of the Ohio Revised Code and Board Policy; and
WHEREAS, the Board desires to adopt said plan; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 197 (2020) also permits the Board to adjust the student grading criteria and the Board has determined it necessary to modify the method for student promotion and retention during this crisis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Education of the Loveland City School District that:
SECTION I
Pursuant to R.C. §3313.482 and House Bill 197 (2020), the Board hereby authorizes the following plan to allow students of the Loveland City School District to access and complete online/remote lessons in order to fulfill the required number of hours during the 2019-2020 school year:
- Each teacher shall develop a sufficient number of lessons for the days and hours of closure.
- Teachers will submit the lessons to the building principal for approval. The building principal will certify that the lessons are equal to or greater than the amount of instructional time the student missed.
- As soon as practicable, the appropriate administrator will direct staff about how to make lessons available through a District approved website or other technology portal.
- The teacher will be responsible for posting the lessons online.
- Teachers will regularly assess the progress of students and will update or replace such lessons as necessary throughout the remainder of the school year based on the results of the assessments.
- For students who experience difficulty accessing the online material or who do not have access to a computer, the Board hereby authorizes “blizzard bags” as needed, which are paper copies of the lessons/assignments posted. Teachers shall prepare paper copies approximating the content of the online lessons and shall update such paper copies when updating any of the online lessons. Blizzard bags will be distributed by school personnel or during scheduled pick up times. Printed copies of any graded lessons or assignments will be included in the blizzard bags.
- This plan was shared with the teacher’s employee representative.
SECTION II
Should circumstances warrant a change in the plan during the 2019-2020 school year, this contingency plan may be amended by the Superintendent at any time in his or her discretion.
SECTION III
In order to provide appropriate educational opportunities to students through alternative methods, to allow promotion from grade-to-grade, and so not as to penalize students who determine to complete assignments through the offered alternative means, the Board temporarily suspends current Board Policy 5421 on the award of letter grades, which shall no longer be in effect upon adoption of this Resolution by a majority of the Board. Such policy may be reinstated through a subsequent action taken by the Board. Any other Board Policy that is inconsistent with the action taken within Sections III and IV of this Resolution shall also be temporarily suspended until such time as Board Policy 5421 is reinstated.
SECTION IV
The Board authorizes the Superintendent and School Administration to develop and implement a system of pass/not pass grading for each course in grades 5-8 within the Loveland City Schools instructional program until such time as the Board restores the grading policy.
SECTION V
IT IS FOUND AND DETERMINED that all formal action of this Board concerning or related to the adoption of this Resolution was adopted in an open meeting of this Board, and all deliberations of this Board that resulted in such formal action were adopted in meetings open to the public, in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Ohio Revised Code.
3.3 Resolution delegating authority for determining it impracticable or impossible to evaluate employees due to COVID-19
RESOLUTION DELEGATING AUTHORITY FOR DETERMINING IT IMPRACTICABLE OR IMPOSSIBLE TO EVALUATE EMPLOYEES
DUE TO COVID-19
WHEREAS, Board of Education of the Loveland City School District (the “Board”) employees are annually evaluated in accordance with Ohio statues and Board policies; and
WHEREAS, an Order of School Closure was issued by Ohio Department of Health Director Acton on March 14, 2020 and in response to the Order of School closure, House Bill 197 (2020) was enacted on March 27, 2020; and
WHEREAS, language contained in HB 197 (2020) permits the Board to elect not to evaluate employees when it is deemed impossible or impractical to do so based on the implications of COVID-19.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Education of the Loveland City School District:
SECTION I
For the 2019-2020 school year, due to the Director of Health’s March 14th Order, or any extension of an order to close all kindergarten through 12th grade schools, and the language of House Bill 197 (2020), the Board hereby delegates authority to the Superintendent, Treasurer, or their individual designees to determine and deem it impossible or impracticable to conduct an evaluation of Board employees in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code and Board policies.
SECTION II
It is found and determined that all formal actions of this Board concerning or related to the adoption of this Resolution were adopted in an open meeting of this Board, and all deliberations of this Board and any of its committees that resulted in such formal actions were adopted in meetings open to the public, in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Ohio Revised Code.
3.4 Approve rescheduling of Board Meetings
Move the April 21, 2020 Board of Education Business Meeting to April 30, 2020
Move the May 5, 2020 Board of Education Work Session to May 12, 2020
Move the May 19, 2020 Board of Education Business Meeting to May 28, 2020
These meetings will all be conducted in a virtual format due to the extension of the “Stay at Home” order signed on 4/2/2020.
4.1 Costs Related to the Building Closure Due to COVID-19
5.1 Recommend to refund tuition for full day kindergarten for 50% of March and 100% for April
