Berkeley BOE members disagree on Monday plan to reopen school buildings

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Berkeley County Schools officials are working on a plan to reopen school buildings and other district facilities that have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deputy Superintendent Don Dellinger said at Monday night's online school board meeting.

The plan, which is intended to go into effect Monday, also would reopen facilities and fields to student athletes and community youth-sport organizations.

Board members voted to allow that effort to continue, but the vote was split 3-2, with Michele Barnes-Russell and Pat Murphy voting against it.

Both objected to the plan being prepared and finalized by senior-level staffers before board members would have input.

Dellinger said the action is being done in conjunction with Berkeley County Health Department guidelines and is a step toward being ready for whatever the fall semester brings.

"We have been in discussions about plans to reopen our facilities, especially concerning staff and bringing staff in as we start working toward next year," he said.

The plan will include reopening schools, the district's central office and other facilities in a "safe and responsible manner," he said.

This move also is in line with Gov. Jim Justice's ongoing plan to reopen the state's economy, Dellinger said.

He said the governor will allow youth sports to resume effective Monday, and that two local Little League organizations use district fields.

"There are also a lot of other youth groups and leagues involving our students who use our campuses to practice and play on," he said.

"The state SSAC (Secondary School Activities Commission), in collaboration with the governor's office with the department of education, has given us guidance on starting to bring our student athletes back."

That also is effective Monday and includes three separate phases to allow athletes to get back in shape after being out of school due to the coronavirus, Dellinger said.

"What we're asking the board to do is to allow us to plan the safe reopening of our facilities for our staff to begin working toward next year, and also for our student athletes following SSAC guidance and also the guidance from our local health department to be able to do that," he said.

Barnes-Russell said she also was monitoring the governor's plans, but also has "lots of concerns" about moving ahead with the district plan as proposed.

She said one concern is whether face masks will have to be worn.

"I would like to, and think we should as a board, have the opportunity to review before we vote on any plan concerning how we're going to bring back employees," she said.

"I think, as a team, as a board, we need to review the plan before there is a vote on any type of plan — especially if we're talking about bringing students together to participate in any athletics or type of practice."

Dr. William "Bill" Queen, president of the school board, first told Barnes that the plan would come before board members before being finalized.

Dellinger responded, saying, "I think the way it is written is to give us the opportunity to develop the plan so that we can reopen."

Murphy withdrew his motion for the plan to move forward after hearing the ensuing discussion.

"I thought this was a two-part process. We give you the direction to develop the plan, and then you bring the plan back to us and we give you final approval," he said.

Board member Todd Beckwith said he was comfortable with administrative staff members developing the plan in conjunction with federal, state and county health regulations.

Queen agreed.

"I feel the same way in order to move this through," he said. "If we follow the guidelines of those organizations, we should be OK to move forward.”

Board member Darin Gilpin joined Beckwith and Queen in voting to support the plan development.