Okaloosa County School Board — Emergency Meeting, August 26, 2020

Wednesday, August 26, 2020 Emergency Meeting School District Central Administration Building Niceville, Florida Training Room 6:00 p.m. *************************************************** NOTICE This Board Meeting is being live-streamed for the convenience of the public at http://www.okaloosaschools.com/district/sb/meetings/2020. The public may participate in the Public Comment portions of the meeting by either personal attendance or by calling the School Board Meeting public participation phone line. A separate seating area has been set aside for the press and public who are in attendance at the meeting in accordance with social distancing guidelines as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If calling into the meeting, you should call (850) 833-3100. The phone lines will be operational beginning at 6:00 p.m. on the night of the Board Meeting, and callers will be transferred into the Board Meeting during the Public Hearing portion of the meeting only, in the order in which calls are received. If you are calling into the meeting to make public comment, please be patient as there may be a wait time while being transferred into the meeting. *************************************************** 1. Opening of Meeting Subject : 1.1 Call to Order by the Chairman Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Procedural 2. Approval of Agenda Subject : 2.1 Changes to Agenda and Approval of Agenda Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Action Recommended Action : Motion to approve the Agenda Public Content A board member may request an item be removed from the Consent Agenda for more information or moved to the Discussion Agenda to be voted on separately. Following any corrections, additions, or deletions, the Board will approve the Agenda. Motion & Voting Motion to approve the Agenda Motion by Dewey Destin, second by Linda Evanchyk. Final Resolution: Motion Carries Yes: Tim Bryant, Dewey Destin, Linda Evanchyk, Diane Kelley, Lamar White 3. Discussion Agenda Subject : 3.1 Emergency School Board Policy 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency, recommended by the Superintendent for approval. This policy is intended to promote and contribute to a healthy and safe school environment and to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to keep school buildings open and students and employees in attendance. Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Action Preferred Date : Aug 26, 2020 Absolute Date : Aug 26, 2020 Recommended Action : Motion to adopt emergency School Board Policy 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency. Public Content The School Board of Okaloosa County, Florida and the Superintendent of Schools are cognizant of the strong parent need and support to reopen brick and mortar schools, which has also been recognized and required by our State government. Furthermore, The School Board of Okaloosa County, Florida and the Superintendent of Schools recognize and respect the individual decision making rights of our students, parent(s)/guardian(s), staff and the general public, while realizing the need to take action to protect the health, safety and welfare of them all. As such, the School Board and the Superintendent have created and offered virtual educational opportunities and options that will afford students the ability to minimize their contact with other persons who would be present in a traditional brick and mortar school setting. For those students that have chosen to attend a traditional brick and mortar school setting, the School Board and the Superintendent have a compelling interest and need to enact this emergency policy in an effort to protect the safety, health and welfare of our students and staff during this State of Emergency, and to otherwise assist the community as a whole in reducing the spread of COVID-19. This Emergency Policy 01-29 addresses health, safety and welfare concerns posed by COVID-19 by requiring face coverings to be worn as described in the policy. The policy also clarifies certain issues relating to face coverings, including definitions and exceptions. This policy is consistent with Florida Department of Education directives, Executive Orders of the Governor and Florida laws to address items during this time of public health emergency. This policy is intended to promote and contribute to a healthy and safe school environment and to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to keep school buildings open and students and employees in attendance. The procedures to adopt this emergency policy are fair under the circumstances. The Notice of Intent to Adopt a Proposed Emergency Rule will be published in the newspaper as soon as possible, is being distributed for posting August 21, 2020, is being distributed to the District’s Collective Bargaining Units, and is being made accessible to the public via the School Board’s online School Board meeting agenda site together with the full text of the proposed emergency rule. The Superintendent finds that there is an imminent danger and a need to protect the public health, safety and welfare for the reasons listed below: 1. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among humans through respiratory transmission and presents with symptoms similar to those of influenza. 2. On March 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-51 which establishes COVID-19 Response Protocol and Directs Public Health Emergency. 3. On March 9, 2020 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a state of emergency for the entire State of Florida as a result of COVID-19. 4. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a Pandemic on March 12, 2020. 5. The President of the United States of America declared a National Health Emergency due to COVID-19 on March 13, 2020. 6. National, state and local health authorities strongly recommend the use of face coverings as a public health measure. 7. A number of cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Okaloosa County. Thus, it is necessary and appropriate to take action to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the School District of Okaloosa County, Florida, students and personnel and to mitigate against substantial loss to the District. This emergency policy contains safety measures which are necessary to address these concerns. File Attachments 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency 8-24-2020.pdf (145 KB) Notice of Intent to Adopt a Proposed Emergency Rule - Policy 01-29.pdf (116 KB) Motion & Voting Motion to adopt emergency School Board Policy 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency as amended. Motion by Diane Kelley, second by Linda Evanchyk. Final Resolution: Motion Carries Yes: Tim Bryant, Dewey Destin, Linda Evanchyk, Lamar White No: Diane Kelley 3. Discussion Agenda Subject : 3.2 Other business that may appropriately come before the Board (if any) Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Action 4. Public Hearing - 6:15 p.m. Subject : 4.1 Public Hearing for adoption of emergency School Board Policy 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Information Public Content The School Board of Okaloosa County, Florida and the Superintendent of Schools are cognizant of the strong parent need and support to reopen brick and mortar schools, which has also been recognized and required by our State government. Furthermore, The School Board of Okaloosa County, Florida and the Superintendent of Schools recognize and respect the individual decision making rights of our students, parent(s)/guardian(s), staff and the general public, while realizing the need to take action to protect the health, safety and welfare of them all. As such, the School Board and the Superintendent have created and offered virtual educational opportunities and options that will afford students the ability to minimize their contact with other persons who would be present in a traditional brick and mortar school setting. For those students that have chosen to attend a traditional brick and mortar school setting, the School Board and the Superintendent have a compelling interest and need to enact this emergency policy in an effort to protect the safety, health and welfare of our students and staff during this State of Emergency, and to otherwise assist the community as a whole in reducing the spread of COVID-19. This Emergency Policy 01-29 addresses health, safety and welfare concerns posed by COVID-19 by requiring face coverings to be worn as described in the policy. The policy also clarifies certain issues relating to face coverings, including definitions and exceptions. This policy is consistent with Florida Department of Education directives, Executive Orders of the Governor and Florida laws to address items during this time of public health emergency. This policy is intended to promote and contribute to a healthy and safe school environment and to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to keep school buildings open and students and employees in attendance. The procedures to adopt this emergency policy are fair under the circumstances. The Notice of Intent to Adopt a Proposed Emergency Rule will be published in the newspaper as soon as possible, is being distributed for posting August 21, 2020, is being distributed to the District’s Collective Bargaining Units, and is being made accessible to the public via the School Board’s online School Board meeting agenda site together with the full text of the proposed emergency rule. The Superintendent finds that there is an imminent danger and a need to protect the public health, safety and welfare for the reasons listed below: 1. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a severe acute respiratory illness that can spread among humans through respiratory transmission and presents with symptoms similar to those of influenza. 2. On March 1, 2020, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-51 which establishes COVID-19 Response Protocol and Directs Public Health Emergency.  3. On March 9, 2020 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a state of emergency for the entire State of Florida as a result of COVID-19. 4. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a Pandemic on March 12, 2020. 5. The President of the United States of America declared a National Health Emergency due to COVID-19 on March 13, 2020. 6. National, state and local health authorities strongly recommend the use of face coverings as a public health measure. 7. A number of cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Okaloosa County. Thus, it is necessary and appropriate to take action to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the School District of Okaloosa County, Florida, students and personnel and to mitigate against substantial loss to the District. This emergency policy contains safety measures which are necessary to address these concerns. File Attachments 01-29 Face Coverings During COVID-19 Pandemic Emergency 8-24-2020.pdf (145 KB) Notice of Intent to Adopt a Proposed Emergency Rule - Policy 01-29.pdf (116 KB) 5. Adjournment Subject : 5.1 Adjournment of the meeting by the Chairman Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : 6. Public Notices Subject : 6.1 Public Notice Meeting : Aug 26, 2020 - Emergency Meeting Type : Information Public Content PUBLIC NOTICE This meeting will be open to the press and the public. Any person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Okaloosa County School Board with respect to any matter considered at this meeting will need a record of the proceedings, and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. This notice does not constitute consent by the School Board for the introduction or admission of otherwise inadmissible or irrelevant evidence, nor does it authorize challenges or appeals not otherwise allowed by law. Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this meeting is asked to advise the School Board at least 48 hours before the meeting by contacting the Superintendent of Schools at the School District Administration Building at (850) 833-3110. File Attachments 8-26-2020 Emergency Meeting.pdf (109 KB)