The Jacksonville/North Pulaski School Board on Monday approved policies to provide teachers and support staffers with up to 10 days of leave -- apart from traditional sick leave -- should they contract covid-19 or have to quarantine.
The board approved the policies, which will be retroactive to Jan. 4 and go through June 30, during a meeting in which it:
• Approved $500-a-semester bonuses for bus drivers.
• Extended Superintendent Bryan Duffie's contract by a year, to expire June 30, 2024.
With the newly approved policies, the 3,727-student school system will give up to 10 additional days of paid leave for those who must quarantine because they have been diagnosed with covid-19, are experiencing symptoms of covid-19 and are seeking a diagnosis, or have been in contact with someone with the virus.
The special leave is also available for those who must care for dependents who are subject to quarantine or isolation orders.
The special leave is for those whose job duties in the district are not able to be performed remotely, according to the language in the policies.
The 10 days are cumulative and can be spread over separate virus-related occurrences.
However, if the district becomes aware that an employee is not following district rules such as wearing masks, social distancing, sanitizing or taking other precautionary measures while at work, then the superintendent or designee may deny the use of covid-19 leave.
The same is true if an employee violates quarantine or isolation orders or recommendations, or if the employee violates local, state or federal health orders. The employee will be required to use applicable accumulated leave or take unpaid leave. The district also reserves the right to take additional disciplinary action, up to and including termination, for the violations, the policies state.
Duffie told the board, which was meeting in the Jacksonville High School cafeteria, that the policies are modeled after others in the state, including a model policy from the Arkansas School Boards Association.
The new policies come on the heels of a similar practice of granting employees leave for covid-19 in the first semester of the school year. However, the state and federal money for the first semester was spent and was not available for the current semester.
School Board members and Duffie did not discuss the funding source for the covid-19 leave Monday night, but Duffie has said previously that the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act that was passed by federal lawmakers in December could be used in part for the leave.
The Jacksonville district is allocated $5.4 million in those federal funds to be used in the broad categories of child nutrition; direct student support and continuous learning; technology; systemic procedures; and facilities, including the enhancement of air quality.
In regard to bonuses for the district's bus drivers, Duffie said the newly approved awards will go into effect immediately for the current drivers and will amount to $500 per semester for four semesters, or $2,000 over two school years.
The money is intended to help retain and attract drivers to a district that is "hemorrhaging" the employees, Duffie said Monday.
The bonus is expected to cost the district $110,000 over the first two years and then $5,000-$10,000 per year thereafter.