District dealing with hundreds of students quarantined because of COVID-19
By BILL BARLOW/Special to the Sentinel
OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Board of Education will soon be presented with a new program that could allow students to graduate from Ocean City High School in three years rather than four, school superintendent Dr. Kathleen Taylor reported on Wednesday, April 28.
Students would have to meet all academic requirements within the accelerated timeframe, she said, including a requirement for students to have four courses in English. That will mean students trying for a shorter time in high school would need to double up on English classes one year.
The proposal will tie in with an initiative at Stockton University, which also plans to offer a three-year undergraduate program. Taylor said a student could then complete a two-year master’s degree program, achieving an advanced degree in the total time it typically takes to complete high school and college.
The district is in negotiations with the university about the idea.
“This is exciting. We’re moving forward with our conversations and possible agreement,” she said. “This would be a one-of-a-kind relationship that we would have and we would continue our partnership with Stockton.”
The report came as the school board considered multiple new policies, each of which was described as mandated. That includes revised policies on graduation, student records, board member resignations or removal and new policy on the administration of medical cannabis.
For students starting next fall, she said, those that met the requirements could graduate after three years if they chose to.
Budget approved
The school board voted unanimously to approve a $46.45 million budget for the 2021-22 school year that does not increase the tax rate.
According to a presentation on the spending plan by school Business Administrator Tim Kelley, spending will increase for next year, but it will be offset by an increase in Ocean City’s ratables, which allow the tax rate to remain stable.
As approved, the budget includes a tax rate of 21.5 cents for every $100 of assessed value, which will mean the owner of a house assessed at $500,000 will owe $1,075 in school taxes. That figure does not include the cost of county or municipal taxes. In Ocean City, the city tax rate makes up almost half of the total tax bill, according to figures presented by city officials, with county taxes accounting for just over a quarter of the bill and school taxes a little under that. The county open space tax and the library tax make up a smaller portion of the bill.
Kelley reported that state aid is up for the coming school year, but was reduced last year.
He said the budget envisions expanded offerings at the high school, including African American studies and a diversification of television and media programs. He also cited the continuing implementation of the district’s strategic plan, singling out incorporating the recommendations of a committee on youth mental health.
COVID concerns with in-person classes
Board members and a student representative raised concerns about the number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Isabelle Heng, one of two student representatives, told the board members that students are worried.
“As of April 15, 256 students/staff were quarantined, with 70 positive cases,” she said. Both those numbers continued to rise, with 500 on quarantine the day before the meeting and 81 people testing positive in the high school.
She did praise safety guidelines and said masks are effective but asked what more could be done.
“These numbers are excruciating,” she said.
Fran Newman, a board member representing Upper Township, asked if the cases were originating within the school or outside. Taylor said her understanding was that they were originating outside of the school.
Taylor said the numbers are high, and said students have been given the option to attend classes remotely. Some may decide to do so for the two weeks before the prom, now that it appears revised state emergency rules will allow Ocean City to have both a prom and an in-person graduation service this year.
For students who decide to receive a vaccine, and whose parents give permission, the second shot will be given by Memorial Day, Taylor said, in advance of graduation.
School board President Joe Clark said the spike in cases was expected as students returned to full in-person classes, while Taylor said the school decided not to do lunch because it would require students to take their masks down to eat.
“The week after spring break might not have been the best time to resume classes,” Newman said.
A survey of students about the vaccine brought one parent to the school board meeting to say her children would not participate. The three vaccines for COVID-19 have emergency authorization for use. According to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention, they have been found to be safe and effective in preventing COVID-19 and reduce the severity of the disease for those who do contract it.
The organization recommends people get a vaccine as soon as one is available.
However, the speaker was unconvinced, arguing that the vaccine is dangerous while doubting the threat of COVID-19 to students.
“Why are we pushing this?” she said. “I do not listen to (Dr. Anthony) Fauci, I do not listen to the media, and I’m not listening to a bunch of lies.”
Fauci, the country’s best-known infectious disease expert, has stated that young people should be vaccinated, citing the possibility of their spreading the virus to others. New variants of the virus spreading this spring appear to be more dangerous to young people.
Another speaker at the meeting expressed frustration with how the district has handled in-person instruction, citing guidelines that call for high school students to keep at least 6 feet of distance.
“It is no surprise that 20 percent of the student body has been placed on quarantine,” the speaker wrote in comments read at the meeting. “Moving forward, I encourage this administration to base their future decisions on science and common sense.”
Committee to search for new superintendent
With Taylor set to retire as of Aug. 1 after 15 years as Ocean City’s superintendent of schools, Clark announced the formation of a committee to search for her replacement, to include himself and board members Gregory Whelan, William Sooy, Patrick Kane, Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes and Jacqueline McAllister.
He said the committee has held two meetings with a third to look at resumes for an interim superintendent, with a plan to have the candidate in the post for at least a year before being offered the job.
The district also planned to put out a request for proposals for a search firm to help with outreach within the community and district and to guide a nationwide search, he said.
“We are moving along. We have a big task ahead of us in the coming year,” he said.
“I want to make sure that I heard correctly that the search committee for a next superintendent doesn’t have a single parent, a community member or a teacher involved in it,” Mikenzie Helphenstine said at the meeting. “This is a community. I want to make sure that the community is being represented and not just the board.”
Clark said only board members are involved at this time. Helphenstine has children in the district and is listed on the district website as a third-grade teacher.
Helphenstine had praise for the district as well. She cited the attention to detail that went into getting the intermediate school children back in the school. “I want to let you know you did a great job. The kids in the intermediate school feel safe,” she said. She said she wanted more information about the situation at the high school.