USD 410 holds special board meeting

The USD 410 School board and Superintendent Max Heinrich met online via Zoom for a special board meeting on Wednesday, April 1 to discuss two items. The first item on the agenda was the Resolution of the Board regarding wage payments during emergency school closings.

The resolution stated: “Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Education of Durham-Hillsboro-Lehigh Unified School District 410 authorizes continued wage payments to all regular employees, including regular salaried and hourly employees and employees under the current contract with the board who are instructed not to report to work on days they would otherwise be required to be working during an emergency closing. The authority granted by this resolution to continue wage payments to idled employees is effective for the period of March 16, 2020 through June 30, 2020, unless the board takes action to authorize payment during a longer duration.

Before the board voted on it, Heinrichs spoke on behalf of his employees.

“I want to tell you that our employees have done a great job of filling in and working. They are all trying to still get the hours that they get. As we get further and further into this, it might look a little different,” said Heinrichs. “Our bus drivers are delivering our meals to the far reaches of our county to those people that need them. They’ve also started picking up and delivering the (Hillsboro) senior center meals, too. They might as well since they are already out. I would ask the board if they would recommend to make this happen.”

The board voted unanimously in favor of this resolution.

The next item on the agenda was the Waiver Application Packet.

“As a result of COVID-19 and the closing of school buildings, school districts must submit an application to waiver for the 2019-2020 attendance requirements in order to receive an exemption from KSA 72-3115 which is the number of hours (1,116 attendance hours for all students and 1,086 attendance hours for high school seniors) we have to go to school a year. Also part of this waiver would be the actual application, assurance documents and the continuous learning plan,” said Heinrichs.

The board voted unanimously in favor of this resolution.

Board President Mark Rooker thanked all for being available.

Kim Klein asked about the paraprofessionals being paid still.

“You know, I am not even sure, but I believe they are. When we start talking about paras, it’s a whole different ball game because it’s federal money so we don’t control that. But I do believe we have all of our paras working such as delivering learning strategies or something that teachers have designed. I know that all of them are doing something unless we have asked them to stay home,” said Heinrichs.

The next meeting will be on April 13.

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