School administrators said at Allen School Board’s regular meeting August 12 ^th meeting that they are ready to begin the new school year and have students back in the classrooms.

All board members were in attendance.

During reports, administrators discussed returning to school, how many students are enrolled, and how many students will be taking virtual classes.

Amy Mayhue

“I love the first day of school, I do,” Elementary School Principal Amy Mayhue said. “I love them walking in. We had such a good time at summer school and I’ve missed it. I’m ready for them to be there.”

Mayhue said she’s excited about the new STEM (science technology engineering math) Lab.

“Mrs. (Kristy) Hiatt and I went in there today and started thinking through and making a plan for that, so I’m excited to get kids in there doing STEM activities,” she said.

Mayhue spoke about the school library.

“The library is wonderful, it is beautiful,” she said. “We moved it to the computer lab and took out the old computer lab, and the library looks amazing. It is big and bright and fun and I can’t wait to get kids in there, because I think they’re going to absolutely love it.”

Mayhue said there will be eight elementary students in virtual learning this year.

“I had five in May that I knew were pretty confident (that they would be virtual),” Mayhue said, “I gained three more in the last week. And, they all were virtual last year, and they’re a little bit scared about coming back now that COVID has been out there a little more and has been affecting kids.”

Mayhue said for the sake of teachers at Allen Schools, they have taken the responsibility of the virtual students off of the teachers.

“Mrs. Hiatt is going to take care of all the coordination of all our virtual students, and they will be on their own online programs,” Mayhue said. “They will have online programs and that’s it. We will not be doing paper packets for them, it will not be technically in a class. So that will take that responsibility off of our teachers. That was very difficult for them, keeping up with what’s going on at home with these (virtual learning) kiddos, keeping up with what’s going on in the classroom with these kiddos, it was very difficult.”

Chris Grimm

Junior High and High School Principal Chris Grimm said there are 149 students enrolled in the high school, and 102 enrolled in junior high.

He said new teachers are getting to know the schools, and, he spoke about the enrollment process, which is all online now.

“There’ve been some technical hiccups here and there,” Grimm said, “and we’re kind of at the mercy of Wen-GAGE (provider of governmental accounting and student information software). For the most part, I haven’t heard too many complaints. Once they get in there ... it’s just (parents/guardians) getting started, and getting that part worked out.”

When asked about virtual students, Grimm said there are no more virtual JS/HS students this year, as of the August 12 ^th meeting.

“We don’t want to do virtual online unless we’re just flat forced,” Grimm said. “Very few did very well with it (last year). We’ve got several that are going to be repeating, mainly 6 ^th through mainly 10 ^th grade.”

Grimm said he feels strongly that kids need to be in a classroom setting but indicated some technology learning will be necessary in the school.

“I’m still going to encourage teachers to utilize Google Classroom,” Grimm said, “because some of these kids are really eat up with this technology, they like it. It still makes things a little bit easier, but as far as full blown, I don’t want to be out for two weeks straight like we were last year, whether it’s for weather or COVID or a gas leak.”

Jeff Hiatt

Superintendent Jeff Hiatt spoke about wearing masks at school. He said, like last year, the school system will recommend mask wearing, but will not mandate it.

“We can’t mandate masks or force masks on kids (per state law),” Hiatt said. “It has to be the parents’ decision.”

Hiatt said if parents ask, the school system is going to recommend masks, but he believes personally that parents should get to say what they do with their kids, and he is glad that the school board supports that.

Hiatt said that the school system cannot force COVID vaccines on anyone. He elaborated that it is by law but said he would not be in favor of that anyway.

Hiatt said there will be no more quarantines. The school system will only send home an individual child who tests positive or is exhibiting symptoms. However, Hiatt said, the schools may make recommendations and notify parents that their child was near a student who tested positive.

“Last year, if a kid tested positive, and was within six feet for more than (15 minutes), then you had to do a seating chart and you had to quarantine (the student who tested positive along with anyone who was within six feet for more than 15 minutes),” Hiatt said. “And I did get, I mean, (the principals) got way more than me, but I got several unhappy parents over that. But, I mean, it was the law, we had to do it.”

Hiatt also mentioned that the school system will not teach “critical race theory.” The subject of CRT was brought up to him by a parent. However, per Oklahoma House Bill 1775, CRT is banned from being taught in Oklahoma schools.

Jimmy Wilson

Transportation and Maintenance Director Jimmy Wilson also spoke to the board.

“We’ve got all our route buses, they’re here, our two new ones and our used one,” Wilson said. “The used one is actually newer than our two other ‘new’ ones (purchased new in the past). They’re both ‘15 and ‘16 models, this one is a ‘19 model.”

Williams said they’ll be able to have three buses on routes again, but it will depend on how many students they will have.

He mentioned the second activity bus is still being created, and is expected to be to Allen around the first of the year.

Wilson said the school system had the new driver’s ed car and Suburban, which were taken to Norman to have the seats prepared for school use.

“(Leather seats) are easier to keep clean, don’t hold smells near as bad, all that good stuff with the kids and stuff in them,” Williams said. “Well, they got there, and (the company) had to shut down for COVID. So, our vehicles are kind of in quarantine.”

However, Hiatt mentioned that the company said the school system should have the vehicles by this Friday.

As for the new ag truck, no one is sure when it will be finished. Wilson said, because of the delays, the school system may wind up getting a newer vehicle, but the price will be the same as the original quote from earlier this year.

Consent Agenda

The board approved the consent agenda which included the minutes of the July 12 ^th board meeting; the fiscal year 2021-2022 Purchase Orders and Encumbrances: Fund 11 -- General Fund numbers 116 through 148 ($102,118.13); Fund 21 -- Building Fund number 26 ($50,000); Fund 22 -- Child Nutrition Fund numbers 28 through 33 ($83,000); the Treasurer’s report; and the Activity Fund report.

The consent agenda also included travel requests: (Administrative attendance of the OSSBA/CCOSA Conference on August 26-28, and FFA National Trip on October 25-30 to Indianapolis, Indiana); Board member travel, lodging, meals and incidental expenses associated with attendance of the OSSBA/CCOSA Conference (August 26-28); a contract agreement for Career & Technology Education Programs Allocations (Ag Education, Business & Information Technology Education and Family & Consumer Sciences) for the year ending 6/30/2022; Teaching assignments and class schedules for fiscal year 2022; Fundraiser Requests – Band, Basketball, Elementary, FFA, Football, Horticulture, JH Cheer, Library, Softball, Yearbook; and Committees for FY-22, including Gifted and Talented, Professional Development, Safe School and Healthy Fit, Reading Sufficiency, Title I, Title IIA, Title IV-A, Title VI and JOM.

Action Items

The board approved all action items which included:

- The student elementary handbook, JH/HS Handbook and athletic handbook for fiscal year 2022.

- Ethan Sharp as adjunct teacher for a Humanity class for fiscal year2022.

- Allen Public Schools will be taking the ACT as the locally selected, national recognized assessment for the College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA) for fiscal year 2022.

- Deregulation Application for Library/ Media Services Elementary and Secondary Personnel as presented.

- Sanctioning outside booster clubs for fiscal year 2022, including Football Boosters, Basketball Boosters, Baseball Boosters, Cheer Boosters and approve their yearly financial records reports.

Executive Session

Upon returning from executive session, the board hired Abby Thompson for the After School Program; Dayne Parker as basketball laycoach; Linda Cornwall and Meghan Bray in cafeteria; and accepted Kimberly Chappel’s resignation in the cafeteria.