HOLYROOD — When Central Plains USD 112 students, faculty and staff return to the classroom Aug. 19, they will be encouraged to wear a face mask, but it is their choice.
That was the consensus of the USD 112 board of education Monday, after discussing COVID-19 and the 2021-22 school year.
However, Greg Clark, district superintendent, said students will be required to wear a face mask when riding on district buses and other district vehicles.
“That was a federal mandate that came out,” he said. “We could lose our federal funding if we do not follow that.”
Clark said the number one goal of the district is to keep kids in school.
“We did that last year,” he said. “We did have a couple of weeks where we had to not be in school, but our goal is to keep kids in school.”
Clark said he is meeting on a bi-weekly basis with Kerianne Ehrlich, supervisor of the Ellsworth County Health Department. He said the district has been asked to follow the exact same process on quarantines again this school year. The duration of the quarantine

depends upon the county in which the student lives. Clark noted Ellsworth County is seven days with a negative COVID-19 test and 10 days without a test. Barton County is 14 days.
“We will have to be on top of some things, because the county health could still order us to shut down,” Clark said. “They still have that power.”
Clark said Ehrlich, much like himself and the board, is a bit tired of getting hit “about the face and head” on some of these issues.
“She worries that we’re going into the school year with a more contagious virus, with less actions put in place to help stop it,” Clark said.
Clark said his ultimate bosses are the students the district serves.
“I will go to the ends of the earth to keep them safe,” he said.
“We need to do everything we can to keep our kids in school,” said board member Tami Schepmann. “I don’t know if masks are absolutely necessary, but that may change. That may be the only way we can have kids in school.”
“My belief is we leave it up to the parents,” said board member Jacob Charvat.
Board member Tony Zink said the decision should be left up to parents, teachers and administrators.
“I hate how polarized everything is,” said board member Tamara Dody.
She noted nobody is going out trying to get sick and nobody is trying to get other people sick.
“Everybody wants to be healthy,” Dody said.
Brad Schiermeyer, board president, said he doesn’t want any student to not wear a mask when they should be for fear of being bullied by other students.
In other business:
• After a 10-minute executive session with Clark and board attorney John Sherman to discuss teacher negotiations, the board tabled action on the negotiated agreement for the 2021-22 school year.
• Approval was given to a Central Plains High School agreement to play softball and baseball with Hoisington.
• Clark said the concrete work for the new bleachers at the Central Plains High School football field started this week and parts are coming in. He is hoping the work will be finished by Sept. 1.
• Approval was given to take part in the Student Assurance Service program again this year. Clark said the district pays $570 for the program. The parents then can sign up for additional coverage for sports or other activities.