September 15th Minutes

Minutes of the Special Board Meeting

of

RSU #74 Board of Directors

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

6:00 p.m.

At

Carrabec Community School

Troy Dunphy, Chair, called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.

Directors Present: Judi Dunphy, Amy Price, Troy Dunphy, Heather Longley, Grace Carreiro, Pamela Mitchell, Larry Dunphy, Eric Ewing, Kevin Sousa, David Royce, Bobbi Sue Harrington, Valerie Pinkham, Robert Lindblom, Laura Layman, and Deron Whittemore.

Directors absent with notification: None

Directors Absent without notification: None

Staff Members Present: 25

Students Present: 2

Citizens Present: 11

Agenda Item #1 TO SEE IF THE BOARD WILL DISCUSS THE COVID-19 SCHOOL-LEVEL RESPONSE PLAN.

Upon motion by Deron Whittemore and seconded by Larry Dunphy the Board voted by unanimous consent to allow the public to speak about agenda item #1.

Mr. Tracy gave an update on the current COVID-19 cases and close contacts at each school.

Ms. MacDonald spoke about the pros of wearing masks and having our kids in schools.

Ms. Miller spoke about the pros of wearing masks, spacing, and sanitizing to keep kids in school.

Ms. McQuiston spoke about wearing mask to keep our kids in school.

Ms. Frost spoke about sticking to the original plan of masks recommended and letting parents have the choice to mask or not.

Ms. Crawford spoke about the pros of wearing masks to keep our kids in school, and parent choice when appropriate.

Ms. Mckinnon spoke about the pros of wearing masks and her children being high risk and not able to be vaccinated yet, but have a hard time wearing masks.

Ms. Delarma spoke about her children already both quarantining, and that they should be wearing masks.

Ms. Robinson spoke both as a teacher and a parent about wearing masks to keep kids in school.

Mr. Swihart spoke about how it should be parents decision to mask or not.

Upon motion by Eric Ewing and seconded by David Royce the Board opened discussion for the COVID-19 School-Level Response Plan.

Upon motion by Judi Dunphy and seconded by Laura Layman the Board voted 14-1 to amend the original motion of the COVID-19 School-Level Response Plan to include a 14-day quarantine period instead of a 10-day, to make green 0-1 cases, yellow 2 cases, add orange with 3+ cases but school remains open, and red with 3+ cases and moving to remote learning. Motion passed.

Upon motion by Eric Ewing and seconded by Deron Whittemore the Board voted 13-2 to move the question as amended. Motion passed.

Upon motion by Deron Whittemore and seconded by Larry Dunphy the Board voted 13-1-1 to approve the COVID-19 School-Level Response Plan as amended. Motion passed.

Amy Price made the motion to enforce a 30-day mask mandate.

This was ruled out of order.

The Board Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 7:17 pm.

________________________________

Michael Tracy

Superintendent