School official asks for support from community

McCOOK, Neb. — Wear a mask for the kids, the McCook School Superintendent urged.

As community spread of the coronavirus rises in the area, so do positive cases at school, said Superintendent Grand Norgaard at the McCook Board of Education meeting Monday. Until recently, there were not many positive cases at the school but that’s changed with the recent uptick of positive coronavirus cases in the community. Most positive cases at the school district have been traced to community spread and not from the school, he said, although a few positive cases at the school were traced to a lunch time event when students were not wearing masks.

Still, to keep schools open, “Community support would be invaluable,” he said.

With the COVID-19 Risk Dial at “high” for the community, masks have been mandated for everyone in the school district. Because of that, it’s prevented many from being quarantined for two weeks, Norgaard said. The latest directed health measure for schools states that if someone has come into contact with someone with COVID-19, they do not have to quarantine for 14 days if a mask was worn.

Staff and students at St. Patrick School are also wearing masks, said a school source.

As of today, the McCook School District’s COVID-19 Tracker shows six active coronavirus cases in the district: one at McCook High School, four at McCook Junior High, none at Central Elementary, and one at McCook Elementary. A total of 54 staff and students are in quarantined due to direct contact with an infected person or showing symptoms of COVID-19, with 20 at MHS, 13 at MJH, eight at Central Elementary and 13 at McCook Elementary. The tracker, at mccookbison.org, is updated daily.

Norgaard said at some school events, there has been instances of “fairly stubborn community members” who refuse to wear a mask. However, he’s spoken with the school’s attorney and by state statute, the district is within its rights to mandate a mask, even if the person claims health issues, Norgaard said. “Staff has done a great job to help people understand it’s to keep kids in school,” he added.

As of now, the mask mandate will be extended for people attending winter sports events, Norgaard said.

Students have been vigilant in wearing masks and keeping those masks above the nose, said Alec Langan, student council representative, during “Council Comments.” “We want to be in school than in quarantine,” he explained.

We could all learn a few thing from students, said McCook School board president Tom Bredvick, as they are leading by example in wearing masks. “People are observing and watching…we’ll be able to stay in school by teamwork,” he said.

In other action, the board unanimously approved the $1,596.90 donation from MNB from debit card donations for McCook Public Schools, with Bredvick abstaining. Bredvick is the chief financial officer at MNB.