Even though school won’t resume this school year, Royall will bring most of its support staff back to work, the board of education decided at its meeting Monday.
After school closed March 16 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the food-services employees continued to work, delivering meals to children, plus the maintenance staff put in one day a week. All employees continued to earn their salaries during that time period.
Now, the secretarial staff and paraprofessionals will resume duties and the maintenance workers’ hours will be increased. To earn wages, an employee must return to work, according to the board’s motion. If an employee declines the offer, he or she most likely would not be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Superintendent Mark Gruen told the board that tasks would be found for any employee who wishes to work.
Other business
• The board elected the following officers: Raye Walz, president; Doug Waterman, vice president; Loretta Kranz, clerk; and Sara Palamaruk, treasurer.
• The school district is considering three possibilities for a graduation ceremony, according to Principal Scott Uppena: 1) a virtual graduation; 2) a drive-through graduation/parade at Schulz Park; or 3) a delayed graduation.
Parents and students will be asked for their input on the matter, Uppena said.
For the second option, students would remain in their vehicles with their families except when they accepted their diplomas.
Board and administration generally were against a delayed graduation, as students might be in the service or away at college by thetime Royall offers the ceremony.
• Royall will give Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators Child-Advocacy Awards to Ground Round of Tomah and Lynette Vlasak and Sally Dana of rural Kendall, who run the Kendall Public Library.
Gruen said, “Those two ladies are champions in regard to doing anything they’re asked whenever they can.”
The Ground Round has generously offered gift certificates to staff-appreciation events, Gruen noted.
• Sara Palamaruk will serve as this year’s Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) No. 4 representative for Royall. The CESA No. 4 meeting will be in August.