With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic insight thanks to the mass vaccination effort underway, the school board for Abingdon-Avon has extended the Continuation of Family First Coronavirus Response Act for staff members in the district.
A-Town Superintendent Dr. Mike Curry tells WGIL that the act provided employees with 10 ‘COVID’ sick days that could be used instead of personal sick days that could result in loss of incomes.
Curry adds that the original act was to end with the turn of the new year but was extended through March.
“And that ended on December 31st and then, I want to say, near the stroke of midnight it was extended through [March 31st.] But, we needed to take action and let our constituents know and our employees that we were going to continue with that option.”
He adds that there is a sentiment with the incoming Biden administration that the act could be extended longer and expanded.
Administrators and board members are also looking ahead to some projects that could get underway over the summer, including a new roof at the middle school and a parking lot revamp at Avon Elementary School.
Dr. Curry says that a handful of projects will be going out for bid soon after the school board approved proposals from Klingner and Associates last night.
He said there isn’t an official timetable but he’s hopeful that bids could be approved as early as next month.
“Hopefully we’ll even have the bids. That might be a stretch to have the bids in by February 10th. That is a full month, it depends on how long we want to open the bids. The architects know that their proposals were accepted. One of the bids may take a little bit longer to go out but we’d like to have them all back by the end of February.”
Students for District 276 will be returning to classrooms on Tuesday, January 19, and resuming their in-person learning.
