SIKESTON — Work to improve performance-based energy services is underway in the Sikeston R-6 School District.
Sikeston R-6 Superintendent Dr. Tony Robinson provided an update on the progress and upcoming work for the district’s performance-based energy project during the Board of Education’s regularly November meeting.
“We have extensive work on several roofing and HVAC systems that’s started throughout the district,” Robinson said.
During the week of Nov. 16, McKinstry Co. LLC, the district’s performance-based energy provider, worked with the roof contractor to complete the vacuuming/cleaning phase of the project. Roof coating work began at the high school and the roof coating was substantially completed at on A Building. Work was also set to begin on the lower Field House roof coating. This week roof coating work was scheduled to continue at A building and the Field House. Of course, roof coating work is weather dependent, the superintendent noted.
Vacuuming/cleaning of the Junior High roof was also set to begin this week, and the installation of the natural gas line for the new RTU unites continued at the Junior High building.
Roof coating work and the gas line installation at the Junior High will continue as classes resume Monday. The lighting subcontractor will mobilize this week with work beginning at the Junior High.
In regard to the construction projects of Lee Hunter Elementary and the high school C Building, Robinson said the district’s construction manager as agent and architect team are finalizing the design and budget estimates and any updated plans will presented at the Dec. 8 board meeting.
The latest update with COVID-19 and the district is Sikeston R-6 students are scheduled to return to in-person learning on Monday. Prior to the district’s temporary move to the alternative method of instruction, or AMIX, plan, the district began conducting COVID-19 testing for its students and staff who are showing symptoms. This was made possible through a partnership with SEMO Health Network, Robinson said.
The superintendent also noted Gov. Mike Parson, along with the Missouri Department of Secondary and Elementary Education and Department of Health and Senior Services, provided on Nov. 12 new guidance on how contacts of a positive in schools are treated.
“As long as our school district has a strict mask requirement and our students and staff are properly wearing their masks, we will no longer have to send home students who come in contact with a positive person at school,” Robinson said. “This will lessen the amount of students who have to be out of school on extended absences.”
Due to the mask requirement Sikeston R-6 put in place prior to school opening this year, Robinson said it was a seamless transition for the school district.
“It is important now more than ever that we have the support of our parents, guardians, and our community. Our students, staff, and anyone entering our school buildings must be diligent in wearing their masks properly. This includes wearing your mask over your mouth and nose at all times and wearing a mask or gator. Face shields may be worn for your protection, but a mask must be worn as well.”
One item Robinson clarified is that while this new guidance will help reduce student quarantines, it will not remove them altogether. Positive students and staff will still be quarantined, he said. Contacts of positives outside of a school will still be required to quarantine by the health department and the district will adhere to their direction, he said.
“We will continue to make every effort to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other seasonal diseases,” Robinson said. “We continue to clean and sanitize our buildings, provide hand sanitizer and encourage mask wearing and social distancing. We ask that you will help us in our efforts by not sending your student to school if they have any symptoms.”
Also please remind students that wearing their masks properly lessens quarantines at school, the superintendent said.
“The goal is to keep our kids in school and attend in-person as long as we can,” Robinson said.
Also, candidate filing for the Sikeston Board of Education begins Dec. 15 and ends Jan. 19, 2021. Candidates can file at the office of Board Secretary Bryan Nickell, 219 S. Kingshighway, in Sikeston. Board members whose three-year terms expire in April are Matt Tanner and Glen Cantrell.