MCSD hopes for positive momentum with 2021-22 school year

     Monticello Schools Superintendent Brian Jaeger sent out his final district-wide COVID-19 update on Friday, May 21.

     “Looking back,” he prefaced, “we had a period of unknown, followed by a period of outbreak, followed by a period of continuous improvement and vaccinations,” he said. “It has been a year of unexpected challenges.”

     He said while everyone made the necessary adjustments to ensure safety during a difficult time, looking ahead, the MCSD “needs to focus on the future and the best for all of us.” That includes maintaining a positive mindset.

     “Our mindset is something we can control, so I challenge each of you to have a positive mindset going into the 2021-22 school year,” urged Jaeger. Focusing on the positives allows everyone to see the positives around us all. The opposite is true of the negatives.

     “We have a lot of great things to look forward to in our schools over the next few years,” continued Jaeger, “but we need everyone in the boat rowing in the same direction. Going forward, let the schools unite us and not divide us.”

     Prior to Monday, May 17, the MCSD announced it would make facemasks optional for what remained of the current school year, per guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health. The new public health measures applied not only within the schools, but on buses and at all school activities.

     On Wednesday, May 19, Gov. Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Legislature amended the law regarding schools requiring facemasks. However, those changes to the law did not impact the MCSD.

     The Monticello 14-day COVID-19 positivity rate continues to decline when compared to Jones County overall: 0.8 percent and 4.8 percent respectively.

     “We have some very good numbers in our area,” praised Jaeger.

     Monticello has seen one positive case in the last seven days, and one case in the last 14 days.

     The MCSD has two students and one staff in isolation, and no students and one staff in quarantine. That’s less than 1 percent of the total students out for COVID-related reasons.

     There are also 75 students in PreK-12 still taking part in hybrid or full-online learning, or about 8 percent of the student body.