Board reviews return to school plan, reorganizes

SWAN VALLEY – At their Oct. 12 meeting, the Swan Valley School board accepted trustee Randy Williams’ resignation, reorganized and discussed the threshold that they would implement a face covering requirement. The board will consider the Montana School Board Association’s policies regarding face coverings at their Nov. 9 meeting.

After several years of serving on the Board, Williams sent a note of resignation effective immediately. He said it was an honor and privilege to serve on the board but his life has changed and he is no longer available.

The board unanimously voted for the Vice Chair position to be filled by Kitty Logan. Logan was appointed at the July meeting and was a former principal at Swan Valley School.

During the review and update of the school’s reopening plan phases, Trustee Sophie Trull expressed her concern that thresholds to define mask levels were not well defined. She said the Montana School Board Association released policies that have defined thresholds instead of using ambiguous terms like “high risk” and “low risk.”

While the board agreed that their plan fits within the current recommendations for face coverings, they would discuss the three model policies provided by MTSBA and potentially better define thresholds for face coverings in their plan.

Superintendent Aaron Morgenstern told the Board that the policies are meant to be a model. The Board can adopt the parts that make sense for Swan Valley School.

In other business:

• The milk price was unanimously raised from $0.10 to $0.20.

• The Board unanimously approved the substitute list.

• The Board unanimously approved the out of District student agreements for three students from Salmon Prairie.

The next board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. in-person at Swan Valley School.