Ellsworth County commissioners received a briefing Monday on what the 2020-21 school year could look like for students, teachers and staff in the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo USD 327 school district.

Superintendent Dale Brungardt said his main goal is the safety of student and staff.

“No decisions have been made at this point,” he said. “There is still a lot we haven’t thought of.”

Brungardt said USD 327 and school districts across Kansas are in a holding pattern waiting for Gov. Laura Kelly’s expected executive order later Monday delaying the start of the 2020-21 school year until after Labor Day. Brungardt said once Kelly issues that order, the state board of education must vote to approve it, probably late Wednesday.

Brungardt said the later start of school year is a gift of time school districts will use to prepare. He said USD 327 will use that time to take stock of personal protective equipment and other safety features needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the classrooms and school buildings. “I want school to start,” he said.

“I want school to start,” he said. “We need to be back in the classroom.”

Brungardt said his hope is that USD 327 will have a normal semester

“I hope we can get school started,” Commissioner Kermit Rush said. “Our kids need it.”

Commissioner Dennis Rolfs asked Brungardt about fall sports.

Brungardt said he was concentrating first on how and what the return to school will look like.

In other business:

• Approval was given to a memorandum of understanding each business or entity applying for a share of the $1.2 million in SPARK program funding must sign prior to the distribution of money.

Ellsworth County Attorney Paul J. Kasper said the document states the business or entity is going to use the funding for the COVID-19 related purpose it is stating in the application and not something else. The document would be part of the application process.

• Kerianne Ehrlich, supervisor of the county health department, s reported there are no new cases of COVID-19 in Ellsworth County.

• Representatives from the Marquette Recreation District board of directors requested a total of $15,700 in budget funding for 2021 — the same as in 2020.

• Jeremiah Brown, director of the county’s emergency medical service, discussed with commissioners his plan to make EMS technician Stacey Jordan his assistant director. Jordan is currently working on her paramedic certification. Commissioners said they supported Brown’s recommendation.

• Representatives from the Kaw Valley Insurance Group of Rossville asked commissioners to consider the company for the county’s employee health insurance carrier. No was taken.

No decisions have been made yet by commissioners on appointment of a representative to the North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging board of directors as well as an appointment to the Ellsworth County Economic Development board of directors to succeed Leland Francis, who resigned recently.

The next meeting of the Ellsworth County commissioners is at 9 a.m. Monday, July 27, at the county courthouse.

"I hope we can get school started. Our kids need it."

Kermit Rush

Commissioner