The Atlantic Community School District’s Board of Education, Wednesday evening, voted 4-to 1, with Nick Hunt against, extending the mask mandate until April 5th. The expectation remains in place that masks will be worn when social distancing is not possible. Their decision followed a lengthy discussion, which included acknowledgement the County’s positivity rate is under 10-percent, and that most teachers who wanted the COVID-19 vaccine have, or will receive it before Spring Break.

Hunt said he was in favor of doing away with the district imposed mandate, at least with regard to students being outside during recess, because “I think we’re over the period where somebody is going to get really sick and die, and we’re not talking about the staff. The staff had an opportunity to get a shot.”

In other business, the Atlantic School Board passed a Resolution approving the plans, specifications, and form of contract, for the High School Parking Lot and Sidewalk Improvements. Their action followed a Public Hearing, during which no one made written or spoken comments on the project. Snyder and Associates Engineer Dave Sturm, said there were six bids, all of which came in under the engineer’s estimate of $728,892. The low bidder was Precision Concrete Services (PCS) of Atlantic, at $620,084.30. Sturm will send out the contract for the project, on Thursday.

The School Board expressed their frustration with the status of the district’s facilities project. Superintendent Steve Barber said it despite the fact the weather has cooperated, they’ve experienced issues with the original PCC (Portland Cement Concrete) contractors, another one has taken over. As far as the time frame is concerned, completion of the baseball/softball complex will depend on how much grass is seeded in the outfield, and at the high school, some grading is needed on the dirt work and rocks on the infield. However, because the asphalt plant isn’t likely to open until the second week in April, “it will be nearly impossible to get that track done before the end of May,” according to Mr. Barber.

Dave Sturm added “everything hinges on the asphalt plant opening-up.” In other business, the Board approved Superintendent Barber’s recommendation for the following changes to the 2020-21 School Calendar, to make-up for lost hours on snow days:

• Add May 27th & 28th. Dismiss 1.5 (90 minutes early) on Friday
• Go to school all day on May 26th and May 19th.

Those changes, he says, would result in a total of 14.5 hours, and bring the total to 1,082.5, which meets the state requirements, and provides flexibility, he says, “in case we need to start school one-day late.” Barber says “If additional time is lost, we would have to look to have full days on Wednesdays, to still get students out before Memorial Day.” Teachers, he said, will need to return for three-days, after Memorial Day.

The Atlantic School Board approved the following resignations:

• Connor Larson, HS PE/Weight Training/Health Teacher, & MS Football/Assistant Wrestling Coach
• June Halder, Washington Elem. Secretary
• Riley Speer, Washington Elem. Office Paraeducator
• Jennifer Rumery, Food Service.

And, they approved the following Contract Recommendations:

• Mark Anderson, HS Boys Soccer Coach
• Payton Wilkenfeld, Jalen Petersen and Roger Warne: HS Track Volunteer Coaches
• James Northwick, HS Tennis Volunteer Coach
• and Cal Heuton, HS Boys Soccer Volunteer Coach.