Mat-Su Schools plan to host in-person graduation ceremonies this spring

PALMER — The Mat-Su Borough School District has had 60 positive cases of COVID-19 associated with schools since reopening after winter break, but Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani took time to applaud the work that staff have done to mitigate spread of the coronavirus in schools and announce the return of a major in-person event at the end of the school year.

“The work that all of the staff have done to keep our schools open is amazing and it allows us to make this announcement right now and when other schools are struggling just to open for the first time we are talking about how we are going to do in person graduation,” said Trani. “We think we are going to be able to pull it off. We’ve pulled off school and we don’t know why we can’t do in person graduation as well. We’re looking at ways to maximize the number of people that can come to these events and not just spectators but students in particular.”

Trani reported that there had been a total of 676 cases associated with schools in total school days since last August. No buildings have been closed since November 30 and there are between 350 to 400 district employees eligible to receive vaccinations for COVID-19. As Trani began the meeting with social distancing protocols, Board Member Jeff Taylor repeated a question he has asked at previous meetings.

“Could I just make a request that while we’re socially distanced six feet apart that we not have to wear masks,” said Taylor.

All board members were present at the meeting except for Member Sarah Welton, who called into the meeting telephonically.

“In school we try to have students and staff wear the masks at all times. I know that you guys aren’t going to go back and forth right now but I just think it’s the better example if we do it that way,” Trani responded.

Trani detailed the attendance reports from October and recent reports taken in January that show over 517 students have transferred from at home learning or correspondence classes to taking classes at school buildings.

“We haven’t had any building closures since Monday, November 30. That pause that we took really has allowed community health to work with our nurses to deal with the cases that we have had,” said Trani. “We heard today in the Health Action Team that all of our employees who have asked to sign up are going to get the vaccine. They do have enough faccine that all of our employees who fit these categories right now, Alaskans age 65 and above, health care workers and health care workers includes some of our staff who work with special needs students, our nurses obviously they’ve already got it and long term care residents and staff. So that’s good news.”

Trani also announced that indoor sports would continue for teams within the district, but no games will be scheduled outside the district as of yet. Trani said that the only other school district currently playing sports in Fairbanks is considering allowing teams to travel to compete between the two districts but is not finalized. Trani said that members of each team would be allowed to distribute two wristbands for spectators to attend. Board Member Ryan Ponder asked about the requirement for mask wearing during vigorous activities and how subjective vigorous activities were.

“We all are covid tired and covid fatigued and we are trying to strike a balance between different community groups and what they want, so the good news is is that we have athletics back open again and that’s because cases are down,” said Trani. “Right now our guidance is during vigorous activity, so like a game and practice we don’t expect students to be wearing their masks.”

Ponder questioned if the limit of two spectators per team member would be raised if cases continued to remain relatively low and how that success would be measured. Taylor asked about what specific metric was being used to determine when masks would no longer be needed in schools whatsoever.

“We are trying to keep an open mind to those things and hopefully the case rate keeps going down and we can provide those experiences,” said Trani.

Taylor read current numbers from the Department of Health and Social Services COVID-19 dashboard on hospitalized patients in the Mat-Su and the total number of deaths. Taylor said that he was concerned about effects on social behavior of students and emotional burdens of mask wearing, and that he believed more Valley residents had died from suicide than had died from COVID-19.

“What’s our end goal. What is our end game here. When do we get to say put the mask in the trash. What is our vision there,” said Taylor.

Trani noted that on the zoom scheduled with Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink on Thursday, he would ask about specific metrics and the possibility of providing opportunities for more spectators to watch games in larger buildings.

“I don’t know the answer, but remember the masks allowed us to open up schools in the fall,” said Board President Ole Larson. “So if the masks maintain us to keep schools open, I have no idea when that call is going to be made but hopefully we can get through this.”