Tate Michael makes March 23 mask presentation to Haxtun Board of Education

Mask wearing inside the classroom, a possible four-day school week and hiring administration for the coming year topped agenda items in a lengthy Board of Education meeting in Haxtun on March 23. Before entering into a closed-door, executive session to review applicants for the open superintendent position, board members heard a presentation from Haxtun junior high student Tate Michael on giving students the choice to wear masks inside the classroom.

Michael, who shared his presentation with the Board via Zoom, said he recently surveyed 46 junior high students, asking if they would better cooperate with mask wearing if they only had to wear them in the halls and could be free to have the choice of wearing them in the classroom.

Currently, under a mandate from Colorado’s governor, students in grades sixth through 12th grade are required to wear a mask in school at Haxtun. They also wear them during all extra-curricular activities.

According to Michael’s research, 82.6 percent of students said they would better cooperate with masks if they only had to wear them during passing period and if they had the choice to wear them in classrooms.

“If the school would give students a choice of wearing masks, students would feel more trusted to make their own decisions,” Michael told the Board of Education. “In school, students are not given many choices and are instead told to do everything they do. Giving students a chance to voice their opinion in such a controversial topic can increase trust in their teachers. It creates a safe environment for both students and teachers.”

Michael also asked junior high students if they would feel safer to express their opinions at school if given the choice to wear masks in classrooms; 95.7 percent of students said they would.

“Other than the fact that students constantly take off, drop and sneeze into masks, how effective are masks in the classroom?” Michael asked. “Students already have to sit six feet apart from their classmates and teacher. Not only that, students wipe down tables and desks after every class so the next class has a germ free desk to sit in. The CDC states that 99.99 percent of people under 50 do not die from the disease and recover fairly well. To many young adults, the symptoms are similar to the flu. Controlling the students and making them wear masks is crazy with the facts shown.”

He went on to tell the BOE that, according to Fox News, the self-harm rate has gone up 334 percent since the onset of the pandemic and mask wearing. Additionally, anxiety rates are up 94 percent, overdose percentages have increased 119 percent and depression rates are up 84 precent.

“Forcing more and more mandates and forcing students to do something they don’t believe in is causing a major issue. Covering our faces covers our humanity, and we need humanity,” said Michael. “We need to stay as far away as we can from causing more of these percentages to go up. Giving students the choice of masks would make them feel safer to express themselves. This is a problem today that will affect the rest of their lives if not helped by change. The more we enforce, the more the pandemic and mandates will stay, the more 334 percent will.”

Board members thanked Michael for his time and effort put forth into his presentation. Board Member Amy Kilgour said that as Phillips County continues to progress in a downward trend on the State’s COVID-19 Dial, she hopes teachers are given more control of decisions for their classrooms.

At the start of the meeting, community member Casey Goddard also spoke to the Board via Zoom. Goddard was one of several community members who recently gathered signatures, later presented to the BOE, in support of having a community committee to help aid in the search of a new superintendent. He said their efforts gathered more than 60 signatures in support of community input on the matter. Goddard said he was impressed and encouraged with the response to getting signatures and he hopes the Board and the community can be on the same page moving forward.

“It’s important to know that we are all on the same page, that we are behind you and will help in any way we can,” Goddard said. “Community involvement is huge moving forward.”

Goddard also thanked board members for their decision to serve their community in that capacity, which he said is greatly appreciated.

After hearing from Goddard and Michael, the Board voted to enter into a closed-door executive session to discuss content of applications and supporting documents for superintendent candidates. That meeting lasted nearly four hours.

At the conclusion of the executive session, board members reconvened the open meeting and announced the three finalists, including John Weigel, Marsha Cody and Dustin Seger.

The Haxtun Board of Education will conduct candidate interviews in search of a superintendent on April 8 and 9. Seger will be interviewed on Thursday, April 8 from 3:30-5 p.m., Weigel will have his interview with the Board on the same day, from 5:30-7 p.m. and Cody is scheduled for her interview on Friday, April 9 from 3-4:30 p.m. Interviews will be streamed on the Haxtun Schools YouTube page for public viewing.

A community meet and greet is scheduled for Friday, April 9 from 5-7 p.m. at the Haxtun Community Center.

In her report to the BOE, Superintendent Darcy Garretson said she is almost ready to submit an application for a four-year counselor grant. If funded, grant funds would cover the cost of a secondary counselor for four years. Goals to be met by the counselor include auditing current programs in grades sixth through 12th including those for both social emotional and ICAP as well as selecting curriculum to help with social emotional well-being, training staff in SEL, refining the ICAP process and creating a better way to document the ICAP process and use it to benefit student education.

Garretson said total the grant as written is for $215,375 and if funded, Sharon Seger would move to the counseling position and the District would advertise for a technology teacher.

The Superintendent also gave an update on ESSER funding, noting that there could be a third round coming to school districts. According to Curriculum Associates, Congress has provided financial support for districts and schools through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund to address the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus far, Colorado’s received $120.9 million in ESSER I funding and an additional $519.3 million has been allocated through ESSER II. Garretson said Haxtun ESSER III funds could total $450,000.

During reports, Candie Fix, Chair of the District Accountability Committee, reported results from a recent community survey sent out regarding a four-day school week. The topic has been high among the committee and the Board for the past three years.

Of the nearly 800 surveys sent in the mail, 118 were returned with 80 yes votes for a four-day week, 33 no votes and five undecided votes. There are currently just over 180 families within the Haxtun School District, all of whom were mailed a survey to respond with their thoughts on a four-day week.

Of the 118 surveys returned, 82 were from those who have children within the District, accounting for nearly half of the total amount of families. Sixty-two yes votes were from a household with children in school, 20 of the no votes were from those with children in school.

The survey also asked for a preference in having Monday or Friday off should the school vote to go to a four-day week, 43 voted for having Mondays off, 17 voted for Friday.

Board members held a lengthy discussion regarding a four-day versus five-day week for the coming year. Ultimately it was decided to ask the District calendar committee to draft two calendars for the coming year, one four-day and one five-day, to be considered at the April board meeting. Work will also be done to develop a plan to compensate hourly waged employees should a four-day week be approved. The BOE also plans to host a work session to dive into the matter further on April 13.

In other business the Board:

• Approved a resignation from Jerry Wagoner as indoor maintenance employee, he will continue to drive bus;

• Approved hiring High School Principal Alan Nall for the coming year, any salary changes will be determined at the same time as other staff members;

• Approved hiring Elementary and Junior High Principal Becky Heinz for the coming year, any salary changes will be determined at the same time as other staff members.