Southern Boone school board to get information about online learning plan

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Southern Boone Board of Education will get details about what the district will do if COVID-19 cases force classes online when it meets Wednesday.

That special meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., with two items on the agenda: the construction timeline for a Ranken Technical College campus in Ashland and the COVID-19 discussion.

Superintendent Chris Felmlee said board members wanted to have a discussion about plans for online learning. Several area schools that began the year with in-person classes have had to shift online at least temporarily because of COVID-19 cases or exposures. Students at Jefferson City's middle schools returned to their buildings on Monday after being online for two weeks because of the number of staff in quarantine.

The Southern Boone School District website reported Monday that two elementary school staff members have active novel coronavirus cases, as does a primary school student. Six staff members and 66 students were in quarantine district-wide Monday.

Boone County health officials report 218 cases in the school district's boundaries since the start of the pandemic. Of those, only 29 were in people younger than 18.

Felmlee said he doesn't expect the district to have to go the virtual route. Felmlee said he wants to "ensure that each of the members of the board fully understands how the district will operate under these circumstances."

Felmlee said he does not expect anything to be voted on at Wednesday's meeting.

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