DALLAS TWP. — With Board Member Patrick Musto sharply criticizing the move, the Dallas School Board approved a new contract with support staff running July 1 of this year through June 2026. The contract includes annual raises and some concessions in health care coverage.
The raises are 3% the first two years, 2.75% the third year and 2.5% the last two years. The health care coverage provides traditional, HMO and Core HMO options for current employees, but requires new hires to have Blue Care HMO. The contract adds Martin Luther King, Jr., Day as a paid holiday, adds two emergency days, and increases vacation time for part-time, 12-month employees.
Musto argued the full board was not told the total cost of the agreement and not given clear justification for the cost.
The board also approved changes in the course description books for the middle school and high school. Middle School Principal Jeffrey Shaffer said two new courses will be offered, History of the English Language in grade 7 and Writing for Purpose in in grade 8. High School Principal Gregory Riley said changes include new electives to give students more choices.
And the board approved an additional $1 million in borrowing through FNCB Bank for roof repairs. It will be a 10-year loan at a fixed rate of 2.35%. Total cost after 10 years will be $1.13 million.
Near the end of the meeting Superintendent Tom Duffy addressed at some length the reasons the district is remaining in hybrid mode — with one group in class Mondays and Tuesdays while the other learn online at home, Wednesday a fully-remote day, and the two groups switching Thursdays and Fridays.
Duffy said the biggest problem bringing all students back for five days a week is the lack of space to maintain six feet of distances in all situations. He pointed out that the requirement to do contact tracing if a student tests positive for COVID-19, including isolating all students who were in close contact as defined by the state, becomes much more expansive if all students return to school. He noted if classrooms were full and six feet could not be maintained, a single positive test result could result in up to a dozen fellow students forced into isolation at home to reduce risk of community spread.
During the public comment section on non-agenda items after the voting session, Business Manager Grant Palfey read one written comment that sounding like an almost word-for-word statement in an online petition seeking a full return to classrooms. As of Monday evening, that petition on change.org had 369 signatures.
The petition strikes a tone of cooperation: “We are seeking to work collaboratively with board members, administration and teachers to work towards more in person instruction.”
But it also criticizes the district’s efforts, saying it “has made very few modifications in order to work towards five day a week instruction. The needs of some student are not being met, and we feel it is time for some changes.” It closes by asking those who support in-person instruction fave days a week to sing.
Duffy replied that he agrees completely with moving toward five days in the classroom, and noted the district is trying to get more students in the schools more days per week even while in hybrid mode.