Members of the Three Rivers Board of Education (BOE) heard 52 comments from the public at its online work session this week. Shortly after the start of Monday evening’s livestreamed evening, BOE Chair Erin Nowak read each previously submitted comment aloud to board members, Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) staff, and the public. All of the comments pertained to a BOE decision in February to again return to the hybrid instructional mode for middle and high school students.
Kevin Hamilton
Dates for reopening Three Rivers Community Schools buildings to students have changed following a Board of Education meeting Monday. Pre-K through fifth grade students will now begin attending school in person next Tuesday, January 19. Middle and high school students will return to hybrid learning as previously planned on Monday, January 25. However, they will now return to full face-to-face instruction two weeks later, on February 8. Also at Monday’s meeting, new school board members were welcomed, new officers were chosen, and Superintendent Ron Moag provided an update on current capital improvements.
At a work session Monday evening, members of the Three Rivers Board of Education (BOE) and Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) administrators weighed options for returning to school following the New Year. After some discussion, the BOE tabled any final decisions on the matter pending a review and clarification of further options by administrators. Further discussion will take place at a special meeting next Monday, December 14, scheduled at 6 p.m. for the purpose of reviewing an annual TRCS budget audit.
During a special meeting Thursday, the Board of Education (BOE) said it found Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) Superintendent Ron Moag to be “effective.” The statement came at the end of a closed session that lasted well beyond two hours. Thursday’s meeting concluded a two-meeting process wherein BOE members conducted Moag’s annual performance evaluation, facilitated by Rod Green of the Michigan Association of School Boards. During closing comments, BOE members also discussed the status and future of online instruction in the district.
Administrators and staff at Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) continue to adjust pandemic response plans and the operation of virtual learning platforms as the fall semester begins to wrap up its second month. At a regular meeting of the TRCS Board of Education (BOE) Monday, Superintendent Ron Moag and Curriculum Director Nikki Nash provided updates on the status of each, and BOE members approved a reconfirmation of the district’s state-mandated COVID-19 Extended Learning Plan (ELP).
Superintendent Ron Moag said a recent masking policy for all students and staff will remain in place at all Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) buildings. At a Board of Education (BOE) work session Monday evening, Moag said state agencies like the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continue to require them despite a Friday Michigan Supreme Court Decision pertaining to the legal legitimacy of pandemic-related Executive Orders from the Governor’s Office.
During a regular meeting of the Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) Board of Education on Monday, three public commenters provided criticism of the Lincoln Learning virtual instruction platform adopted as part of the TRCS “Return to Learn” pandemic response plan.
Members of the Board of Education (BOE) discussed conflicting opinions and doubts over the Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) Return-to-Learn plan, which it adopted at a special meeting last Wednesday, August 12.
Work to finalize a Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) statement on racial justice continues. During a special meeting of the Board of Education (BOE) Wednesday evening held to adopt TRCS reopening measures amid the pandemic, the statement came up during closing public comments.
A contentious conversation over a statement on racial justice in the midst of recent and current national events continued at a Three Rivers Community Schools (TRCS) work session Monday. Board of Education (BOE) members Dan Ryan, Anne Riopel, and Kevin Hamilton discussed the relative merits of possible wording of the statement, as well as the potential for curriculum changes that might address issues of racism.
Note: This article contains strong language and references to racial slurs.
The Three Rivers Community Schools Board of Education reviewed a draft of a racism and social justice statement at a work session Monday, for refinement and adoption at a future meeting.