GC Schools Will Return with In-Person Learning
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MID-AMERICA UPC CODES Buffalo Center Tribune Keota Eagle Butler County Tribune Journal Liberal Opinion Week Clarksville Star New Sharon Sun Conservative Chronicle Pioneer Enterprise CWL Times Sheffield Press Dows Advocate Supervisors SigourneyJr. Golf News-Review Classic Summer Sports During a brief regular meeting Monday The Annual Grundy Center Junior Golf An early lead for AGWSR softball morning, the Grundy County Board of Super- Classic was held on Thursday, July 16, 2020. evaporated after Clarksvile capitalized visors approved a final payment on a bridge The day started a little foggy, but the sun came on fielding miscues and walks for a 6-1 project west of Conrad and discussed the latest out which lead to some great golf. win in Clarksville on Monday night in a Eaglenews Grove with regardsEagle to easements on the Grundy The Leader Class 1A regional final. More sports on Road paving project. pages 10-13 Page 2 Page 9 Page 11 Graphic-Advocate Village Vine GrundyThe Register GrundyWhat Cheer Paper Register THURSDAY |JULY 23, 2020|VOLUME 96| ISSUE 30 $100 Hampton319-824-6958 Chronicle • [email protected] • [email protected] • www.thegrundyregister.com BCLUW will GC schools will return with in-person learning recommend but Final decision on masks, safety requirements still to come not require face By: ROBERT MAHARRY that districts minimum mea- sneezing and you’re wearing a The Grundy Register will have the sure to increase mask or shield, you’re going to coverings for GRUNDY CENTER- As power to make safety for stu- mitigate some of it,” he said. school districts around the masks com- dents and staff. “People don’t want to do it, but country wrestle with how and pulsory, but “If you have they want to go back to school. students, staff By: ROBERT MAHARRY when to bring students back board president it optional, it As much as I hate saying that The Grundy Register into classrooms in light of Andy Lebo kind of defeats we need to tell people to wear CONRAD- The BCLUW the COVID-19 pandemic, the and fellow the purpose. masks to go back to school, I school board spent most of its Grundy Center school board board member If you really think we have to.” regular meeting on Monday engaged in a lengthy discus- Al Kiewiet ar- want to nip this Hughes also pushed back night considering the hot top- sion on the matter during last gued against in the bud and against the assertion that the ic of the moment for districts Wednesday night’s regular it, opining that not go back to staff hadn’t been prepared for across Iowa: whether or not meeting. the decision virtual learn- the virus and noted extensive face coverings and/or masks The board came to an agree- should lie with ing, you can’t trainings and planning since should be required for students ment that of the three “Return individuals and seem to be.” have your school was closed in late March. and staff once classes resume in to Learn” scenarios present- families. “I’m a little disappointed cake and eat it too. We have to A motion to implement an August. ed—fully in-person learning, “I’d like to read the (factu- that we weren’t a little more push that as much as possible in-person “Return to Learn” In keeping with the executive fully virtual and a hybrid meth- al) support that it just shuts this ahead of the game,” Kiewiet right now,” Martens said. “My plan carried unanimously with order that Governor Kim Reyn- od—in-person learning was the (virus) down. I don’t think we said. “We’re going to require thoughts have changed on this, “protocols to come” for safety olds recently issued, the board most preferable option. Super- can sit there and tell people that stuff out of people and do and it’s because we’re seeing and security. voted unanimously to move intendent Robert Hughes ex- your kid has to show up with a things, and they’re going to ask this virus not back off at all… If toward in-person learning, and plained a few of the ways that mask on,” Lebo said. “I don’t us what we did to get ready for we don’t do (wear masks), we IN OTHER BUSINESS, a survey of BCLUW parents the school day will look differ- know how you can make it it. I just think it’s going to look won’t have sports or anything the board: found that 50 percent preferred ent, from social distancing to mandatory.” absolutely horrendous… I’ve else.” • Approved first readings of the in-person option (10 percent more rigorous cleaning to an Lebo added that he believed heard from the public that it’s Gordon, who referenced several handbook policy revi- preferred distance learning, and expanded lunch period without the district would “lose people” too late.” the fact that he himself was sions. 18 percent preferred a hybrid method). communal spaces. if it moved toward requiring On the other hand, board not wearing a mask during the • Approved the hiring of members Steven Martens and The parent survey also indi- When the discussion shifted masks, and Kiewiet cited an in-person meeting, nonetheless Becki Smith as the nutrition cated that 63 percent of parents to a potential mask or face-cov- opinion from a high-ranking of- John Gordon countered that made the case that requiring program director, Rebecca wearing a mask would be an who responded supported re- ering requirement, however, ficial at the University of Iowa them was the right thing to do. Steckelberg as the ag teacher quiring face coverings in some opinions among board mem- hospitals claiming masks “ar- effective way to mitigate the “Common sense tells me I and FFA advisor and Mark Fak- spread of the virus and a bare or all situations for students on bers differed. Hughes reported en’t nearly safety as what they don’t want to do it, but if you’re ler as vocal music teacher. staff, while 33 percent opposed them. Superintendent Ben Petty, Middle School Principal Dirk Borgman and Elementary Prin- cipal Mitch Parker all spoke in favor of such a mandate, as Gregg touts rural housing initiative during Grundy Center stop Borgman argued that social dis- By ROBERT MAHARRY the lieutenant governor and tancing in a classroom would be The Grundy Register the governor making sure that next to impossible. GRUNDY CENTER- Lieu- there are investments happen- “I don’t like wearing them, tenant Governor Adam Gregg ing because they’re both from but I’m willing to do it if it helps sought to highlight the unique rural Iowa… We have to have us,” Parker said. “The reality is ways that rural communities a vital rural Iowa to be success- that if we want to be at school, like Grundy Center are ad- ful.” these are the things that we have dressing housing needs and the GNB CEO Kevin Swalley to do to make it happen.” public/private partnership that explained that the aim of the Petty indicated that school has helped them do it during a program isn’t to turn a profit nurse Gayle Barkema also sup- stop at the GNB Loan and Ad- but to target low-to-moderate ported it and told the board that ministrative Office last Thurs- income housing in hopes of he spoke for “the 63 percent.” day afternoon. attracting new individuals and “The face covering thing has Gregg, who had already families to the communities been politicized to a ridiculous made a stop in Balltown ear- where the bank operates loca- level in my mind,” Petty said. lier in the day to celebrate the tions. The home rehabilitations “Our best bet is to take as many town of 73 residents becom- involve private bank dollars, health and safety measures that ing the first to achieve 100 city cooperation (selling the are reasonable that we can do.” percent Census response, met lots for a dollar), the Iowa Six of the seven board with Speaker of the House Pat Northland Regional Council of members present, however, Grassley (R-New Hartford) Governments (INRCOG) and and bank officials for around a the state. Iowa Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg (center) and Speaker of the House Pat Grassley (right) BCLUW Page 2 half hour before heading back The newest endeavor in discuss rural housing and development during a visit at the GNB Loan and Administrative to Des Moines. Grundy Center will be a Homes Since GNB launched a for Iowa project, which are office last Thursday afternoon. (Robert Maharry/The Grundy Register photo) Community Development Cor- houses built by Iowa Prison In- give folks a skill so that they rural Iowa. In an interview with that I think will have a big im- poration (CDC) in 2019, it has dustries and transported to lots can be self-supporting once The Grundy Register before his pact in our rural communities.” undertaken two home rehabil- around the state. Gregg shared they leave prison, support a departure, Gregg, a Hawarden Gregg stressed the impor- Coronavirus itation projects, one in Con- excitement about the initiative family and be a productive native, pledged to keep fighting tance of preventive measures rad and, most recently, one in because he sees it as solving member of society.” for development outside of the like wearing a mask, social update Grundy Center. The state has three problems at once: a short- In discussing how to make state’s major metropolitan ar- distancing and maintaining By: SETH McDUFFEE provided $20,000 in funding age of rural housing, a shortage future rehabilitation projects eas and reflected on attitudes hygiene as new cases of the The Grundy Register for the Grundy Center project of skilled workers and a lack of more appealing for contractors, about reopening in light of the virus are still being reported The latest figures for as part of a new Rural Innova- job opportunities for the for- Swalley suggested waiving COVID-19 pandemic.