Program being forced to close classrooms over staffing concerns
By: Jasahd Stewart
Minot – Minot Head Start is planning to close several classrooms to comply with President Biden’s executive order regarding the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. It is a federally funded program and will need to comply, so any staff members who do not wish to be vaccinated will be forced to quit their jobs next month.
The Minot Public Schools (MPS) school board met Thursday [link here] and heard more about the impacts the program is facing.
“Losing an additional 18% [staff] will be very painful because of the mandate." Karen Knowles, Director of Minot Head Start
Director of Minot Head Start Karen Knowles listed her concerns ranging from already being short staffed, mask and vaccine requirements, the forced closure of several classrooms, and having to let go of more than 100 children from the program. “Losing an additional 18% [staff] will be very painful because of the mandate,” explained Knowles. She added that even though the deadline for the executive order was pushed back to Jan. 31, 2022, it does not change their circumstance, and they will still have to follow through with enforcing its requirements by Jan. 3.
Due to the lack of staff, they are forced to close 6 Head Start classrooms and 3 Early Head Start classrooms. The preschool classrooms at the Jefferson Early Childhood Center will transfer over to the Main Head Start Center.
“Part of the transition coming back is we’re going to be doing some education with the parents. We have never had kids masked through this whole process… So, I’m hoping when the final ruling comes out that, that is changed to a recommendation [regarding the masks],” concluded Knowles.
MPS Superintendent Mark Vollmer said the vaccine mandate will not affect teachers who work in schools at the Minot Air Force Base. He explained, “[Teachers on base] are essentially state employees or state contractors, therefore our teachers will not be required to vaccinate.”
The school board plans to meet again at the MPS administration building on the Dec. 20th at 12 p.m. Board meeting information will be updated at the MPS website.
