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Officials discuss virus-related learning options

LISBON — Lisbon School Superintendent Joseph Siefke, like other local superintendents this week, reminded his board they still have discretion in determining whether to abandon in-school classes should Columbiana County move to a higher COVID-19 threat level.

The issue came up at Thursday’s school board meeting after officials learned the county would remain at Level 2 (orange) for now on the Level 1-4 alert system for counties. The alert system, created by Gov. Mike DeWine, is based on a number of factors, with Level 4 (purple) being the most severe. There was some concern the county might move to Level 3 (red).

Siefke pointed out if the county goes to Level 3 (red), schools have the option of going to hybrid learning model, where students would continue to come to school two-three days a week and learn online at home the other days. Schools have the flexibility in making that decision after examining the data to determine where the increase in positive cases were occurring and why.

“If we were going to red we would look at the zip codes and look at where the cases are located in the county that made us go to red and then determine whether need to change our instruction,” Siefke said.

For example, if the spike occurred in the northern part of the county, there would be no need for districts in the southern part of the county to switch to hybrid learning. The same thing goes if the increase was found to be primarily confined to nursing homes.

“If the county goes red and it’s not in our back yard, we would stay open,” Siefke said.

A move to Level 4 (purple) would probably result in schools closing again, with all students learning online from home like they did in the spring.

There have only been three positive cases involving staff and/or students among the county’s 12 school districts, and one involved a student who was already learning from home.

Board member TK Hiscox was relieved the state and county were allowing school districts to use their discretion based on the data. Hiscox pointed to the federal prison in Elkton, which suffered a huge outbreak of positive cases among inmates and staff back in the spring, and he said that would skew the numbers.

Of the 86 deaths from Covid-19 that have occurred in the county, 63 have occurred in either nursing homes or at the federal prison.

Siefke was also asked whether he was satisfied with the participation rate among students learning online at home.

“No, because we want 100 percent participation and we’re not getting 100 percent participation,” he said.

More students who initially chose to remain home have returned to the traditional classroom, and Siefke estimated about 85 percent students are now learning in school. Of the 15 percent still learning online from home, he estimated three-fourths are logging on and doing the work.

“We have some that are AWOL. There are those who have not responded to us,” he said.

Those households were mailed truancy notices, which were followed in some instances by visits from staff and the school resource officer.

Still, Siefke is pleased they have almost completed the first nine weeks of the school year and been able to continue with in-school classes.

“That’s a quarter of the (school year) … and that’s a good thing,” he said. “I don’t want to jinx us, but eight weeks in and we’re doing well.”

Junior-Senior High School Principal Keith Edenfield said pretty much the same thing earlier in the meeting. He said all of the hard work, preparation and attention to detail has paid off.

In other action, the board accepted donations from the following organizations or people, including $697 from the Salvation Army to pay the blanket school fees charged seniors. Siefke, Edenfield and board thanked the Salvation Army and the other donors.

“I was just on the phone with a parent who didn’t know how they we’re going to pay the fee,” Edenfield said.

The other donations were made to the athletic department: $200 from the Lisbon Little Blue Devils; $300 from Mike Crosser; $100 from Youngstown Painting and Decorating; $100 from Kyle Bing; and $200 in anonymous donations.

Siefke said they used the athletic department payments to charter buses for the 4-1/2 hour round trip to Plymouth for last week’s playoff football game.

The Center Township trustees also donated a touchless hand-washing station and two more disinfectant sprayers in memory of trustee Kenny Schreffler, who died last month.

Board President Gene Gallo served with Schreffler at one time and described him as a generous, community-spirited person.

“We really appreciate what Center Township did. That’s outstanding,” Gallo said.

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