NEW PARIS — National Trail superintendent Bob Fischer said it’s been a positive start to the school year for the district.
First through 12th grade began on Thursday, Aug. 19, and kindergarten began on Tuesday, Aug. 24. The school board met later for their monthly meeting on the evening of Aug. 24.
“It’s been a great start to the school year,” Fischer said to The Register-Herald. “We’re very pleased with positive energy in our building. The kids are excited to be back. Their general demeanor has been fabulous as we’ve started the year.”
During the board meeting, Fischer said he provided an update on the district’s response to COVID-19 entering the new school year.
“I just gave an update of where we are with COVID, and kind of what our practices are going to be, which is pretty consistent with the rest of the county right now, as far as how we’re handling quarantines, what we’re doing to communicate to parents when we have COVID issues,” he said.
Fischer said the district’s dashboard is back on their website, and phone calls and letters are continuing as forms of communication for the schools regarding students who are close contacts with someone who tested positive.
Consistent with other county schools, masks are “strongly encouraged,” according to Fischer, but not required, except when students or staff are on district-owned vehicles.
Fischer said the district is “embracing” COVID-19, acknowledging that it is here to stay, and that it shouldn’t take over people’s emotions or mindsets.
“We had success in dealing with it last year, so we know how to move around it,” he said. “We just need to now get back to the focus of continuing to do what we do best, which is to teach and show everybody why it’s better to be a Blazer.”
In other business
Tuition rates for the 2021-22 school year were set for $6,529.27 for in-state students, and $13,327.53 for out-of-state students.
The board approved an overnight trip for the National Trail FFA Chapter to the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana on Oct. 27-30.
The next meeting of the National Trail Local Schools Board of Education will be held Tuesday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in National Trail K-12 facility, either the Media Center or Cafeteria.
