School District preparing for fall semester

MAT-SU — The Mat-Su Borough School District School Board will hold a meeting on August 4 in preparation for the upcoming fall semester. Online registration for schools is open and Superintendent Dr. Randy Trani sent out an email to families reminding them of remote learning options and the mitigation plans for the coming school year of in-person instruction.

“We have lived through unprecedented times this past year and I am looking forward to a new school year. Online registration started July 1st & we look forward to seeing students and staff back at school. School starts Wednesday, August 18 for grades 1-12 and first day of Kindergarten is Wednesday, August 25,” wrote Trani.

The MSBSD mitigation plans look similar to the mitigation plans employed last school year, but voluntary on-site COVID-19 testing is available to staff and students. With no to minimal confirmed cases in the last 14 days at a “green” level, masks would be recommended but not required. At this level, students with temperatures over 100 degrees exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 would be sent home. At a “yellow” level with positive cases, masks may be required within classrooms or schools.

“One thing that has not changed since the beginning of the pandemic, when we first drafted mitigation plans, is that we still need your help in keeping our school communities open and safe,” wrote Trani.

If there is widespread community transmission of COVID-19, school buildings may enter the “red” and be closed to in-person instruction. Fully vaccinated students who are two weeks post-second dose will not be considered close contacts and will not have to quarantine.

Of the remote and blended learning options, Mat-Su Central School is still open for enrollment and offers both online and offline learning platforms. Mat-Su Central has a library, music, art, and math labs, offers field trips and course sharing with local schools. The district iTech program offers Apex and eDynamic courses as well as Advanced Placement courses, offered through a local boundary school. Students learning with iTech can earn accelerated credit, do credit recovery and share courses with local schools.

At the meeting of the School Board scheduled for August 4 and 6 p.m., under Non-Action items the board will consider a $160,303.77 disaster public assistance grant and two separate contracts to Ficklin Construction for siding repair at Colony Middle School and snow and ice removal.

The board has an executive session scheduled following the meeting to do an evaluation of the Superintendent. Under action items, the board will consider an agenda item for a $20,000 performance incentive adjustment for Trani. Also under non-action items is the Superintendent contract, which calls for a 1.5 percent increase to the $213,150 salary.