Tonight (2020-08-11) was a meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education (BoE).
While I had heard rumors that the Board, and limited staff, would be in person for this meeting, they are continuing to use Zoom. While I don’t know the complete logic for this, at some point the inability to have a dozen adults in a room implies the inability to have students in a classroom.
As September is just around the corner, there is a focus on (re)opening. Gene (Superintendent) had a variety of interesting things to say here, including a graph on the ‘Community Phases of Disaster‘ and pointing out the new Re-Opening section of the website. It was also mentioned how masks are now mandatory, without them the idea of public school wouldn’t even be considered. To the other side of that, parents are welcome to keep their kids home, as they see best.
Related, HFL cannot tell you if anyone at school has the dreaded disease, for legal reasons (if nothing else). Monroe County Department of Health can, although it sounds like it will be more ‘x students in district y tested positive’ then ‘Bob, Tim, and Frank have it’. Which makes sense, from a privacy standpoint.
There was a comment about tracking the path of students through the buildings, and minimizing interactions. Sounds like a deliberate effort to prevent friends from socializing. Which raises an interesting question. Historically, socialization was one of the big selling points for school. Don’t home school because your kids wont get as much interaction with others, etc. Does that still apply if the school is taking steps to prevent random socialization?
There will be a webinar for parents/guardians, but it is invitation only. So if you are a parent/guardian, check your email for that invitation.
This is where the capitol project would have been discussed, but apart from a comment on delaying a speed bump so that it wouldn’t melt into the parking lot, this was skipped over. Having said that, I do like the pictures at the end of the report.
There was a resolution to suspend any policies/regulations/procedures/etc that conflict with any other governmental agencies current or future orders or guidance related to reopening school. I was all ready to complain about this, as the original draft I saw felt dangerously open ended. But between when I sent an email to Rhonda and the meeting it was updated. The new version imposed a clear deadline to this suspension. So I have only good things to say here. Reasonable attempt to streamline practices during the chaos, while also ensuring it doesn’t remove the need for a BoE.
The school received a gift of exercise equipment. This left me wondering about gym glass in general. Kids wearing masks as they run around? Solo activities? No more gym? Tennis should be fine, until it gets cold. But I can’t see basketball working with masks. Yet another case of evaluating priorities. Is health, in the form of exercise, more or less important then health, in the form of avoiding what amounts to a flu?
Sounds like next meeting will (mostly) be in person, although it will also likely be streamed. While I got the sense details are still being worked out, it sounded like people will have to inform the school (likely meaning Rhonda) of their intent to attend. And I assume masks will be mandatory. Which was the next topic.
Masks will be mandatory on campus. According to Gene, not an issue the BoE can decide, as it is being imposed from elsewhere. While he didn’t say where, I would assume it is the State (so governor and/or Department of Education?). The discussion focused around implementation. Towards that, Gene provided a draft regulation. Of note, while exceptions can be made for students and staff (for medical reason), none are allowed for visitors.
The discussion was interesting as it meandered around. ‘Mask breaks’ came up, along with what to do with dirty masks. Some employees refusing to wear masks. A Board member said ‘masks 24/7 is the goal’. Another brought up the lack of agency.
Which is where I think the real issue is here. I have no problem with people choosing to wear masks (although I may think they are being silly). I have many problems with people being forced to wear them. Or being told the choice is, in essence, wear them or never leave your house. At the risk of repeating myself, that’s the core issue here. Are we the land of the free, and home of the brave? Or are we cowards, blindly obeying the orders of those who think they know better? I could go on, and probably will elsewhere, but for now I’ll end with this.
At the end of the meeting was the return of arguable one of the most important parts of these meetings. As Gene pointed out at the start, the meeting is of and for the Board, even if the public is welcome to observe. Yet at the same time, they work for us. So having the opportunity to question them is important (if not legally required, go figure). Well tonight we once again had questions. A few people emailed Gene and he read their questions out. I approve. It’s one thing to send of an email (that may or may not be read), it’s another to say the question/comment for all to hear.
And those are my Observations From Audience Land for the August 11, 2020 meeting of the Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education.
As has become the norm for this group, Agenda’s and similar information can be found at HFL’s BoardDocs page. While a recording of the meeting will likely be available soon.