(Audubon, Iowa) – There’s no change in how the Audubon School District will mitigate efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That the decision the Audubon School Board made during their regular monthly meeting, Monday evening. Superintendent Eric Trager says that means there will not be a mask mandate.

He says the District currently has a very low COVOD case count. Trager says Guthrie County Public Health Epidemiologist Jotham Arber advised the board that even though variant is more contagious than last year, it is no more severe in terms of illness in children, so while there may be more cases in children, there is less likely to be any increases in severity.

Several other, large school districts – the latest being Ankeny and Johnston – have decided to implement a mask mandate. Mr. Trager said the lack of leadership puts Superintendents in a “really tough situation.”

Eric Trager wished districts that enacted a mask mandate, well, and expects that they know what’s best for their district. In other news, Mr. Trager said the Middle School/High School Renovation project is currently out to bid. Those bids will be opened on October 20th. Trager said they’re hopeful they’ll get some competitive bids and a reasonable price tag, so the project can move forward.

Enrollment numbers for the District look to be up by 20 students, according to the Superintendent. The Audubon School Board, Monday, approved a bus bid from Hoglund for a new 65 passenger diesel bus. A grant from Volkswagen pays for 30% of the vehicle. The School Board also approved a sidewalk project easement.

(Trager said the City of Audubon received a grant from the Department of Transportation to put in a sidewalk from the High School Building down to the Audubon Rec. Center and as part of that the City needed an easement for the property the sidewalk will sit on and the Board approved that easement to support that project.)