G-E-T reviews summer school, AGR report

The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau school board heard updates on student achievement assessments from the spring semester, as well as reports on the first session of summer school at their regular meeting on Monday.

District administrator Michele Butler reported that COVID-19 case numbers in the district have been negligible during the final couple months of school through the first session of summer school. Middle school principal Pete Peterson added that the first summer school session had zero COVID-related issues, despite what he estimated was about five to 10 percent of students still wearing face masks after the district lowered their requirements to “masks-optional.” All students were still expected to follow federal guidelines to mask while riding school buses. Butler said the district will continue to monitor vaccination and case rates, as well as recommendations from the Trempealeau County Health Department.

“It’s possible that we could have masks optional in the fall. What I would say would probably sway things in a different direction would be if we suddenly had a big uptick in cases, but again, indications right now are really positive,” Butler said.

Principals from across the district also lauded the efforts of students and faculty that were reflected on the district’s achievement gap reduction (AGR) report. While all acknowledged the struggles posed by the changing circumstances throughout the year, several administrators suggested the necessary innovations have brought about some positive outcomes with students as well.

In an additional report on the summer school offerings, Peterson added that the district offered a STEM camp as well as babysitting classes and hunter’s safety in addition to the usual recovery school and skills review offerings.

In separate board action:

• Athletic/activities code updates, as well as an employee handbook and elementary, middle and high school handbooks were all approved after a second reading.

• The resignations of middle school paraprofessional Jennifer Seiling, as well as elementary school paraprofessionals Taylor Boe and Kylie Schams were approved.

• The hires of fifth grade elementary teacher Erica Manix and part-time transportation secretary Sandra Ziegler were also approved.