Community members participate in a walk-in at Seward Elementary School on Monday, Sept. 27 in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Nathan Erfurth)

Community members participate in a walk-in at Seward Elementary School on Monday, Sept. 27 in Seward, Alaska. (Photo courtesy of Nathan Erfurth)

Seward walk-in supports COVID mitigation strategies

In a post shared to the KPEA Facebook page Monday, the group reiterated the shortcomings of the district’s current mitigation plan.

About 30 parents, teachers and students participated in a walk-in at Seward Elementary School on Monday to demonstrate their support for the implementation of COVID-19 mitigation strategies in Kenai Peninsula Borough School District schools.

Kenai Peninsula Education Association President Nathan Erfurth, who also participated in the walk-in, said Monday that teachers across the school district are experiencing burnout and that there is a desire to have a more “sensible” mitigation plan.

KPBSD administrators unveiled changes to the district’s COVID-19 mitigation plan earlier this month that included more guidelines for the use of face masks in physical education classes, an outline of when a school moves in and out of universal indoor masking and the discontinuation of weekly antigen testing for student athletes.

Erfurth said some of the people who attended Monday’s walk-in expressed frustration with what they called a “yo-yo-ing” of mitigation protocols. Multiple KPBSD schools have moved in and out of requiring universal indoor masking for staff and students this year.

KPBSD schools on the eastern peninsula, including Seward Elementary, Seward Middle and Seward High School, were operating with universal indoor masking until last week. Masks were not required at those schools as of Tuesday.

The relaxation of that requirement, Efurth said, motivated Monday’s walk-in, but the event generally was in response to a “worsening stability” of district schools as it relates to COVID-19. He spoke to some of the challenges teachers have dealt with already, including logging late hours, feeling unsupported and high absenteeism rates because of the district’s close contact protocols.

In a post shared to the KPEA Facebook page Monday, the group reiterated the shortcomings of the district’s current mitigation plan.

“Today, parents, students, and teachers in Seward got together to show their support for ensuring that we use all available mitigation tools that we have,” the post said. “The current plan often leaves staff & students exposed, results in numerous absences, and huge extra workloads to compensate. This year, with all of its instability, has been even more stressful than last year for us and our students.”

KPBSD Communications Director Pegge Erkeneff said Tuesday that she is unaware if the district formally responded to the group’s walk-in, but that everyone who reaches out to the district regarding the mitigation plan “has and will receive a response.”

“The district receives a full spectrum of responses to COVID and the KPBSD mitigation plan,” Erkeneff said via email. “Teachers with concerns can talk to their principal, or reach out to district office through a phone call, email, letter, or visit.”

Testimony given during the KPBSD Board of Education’s Sept. 13 meeting reflected a divided community. Some parents said the district’s COVID mitigation policies go too far, while others said they do not go far enough. Some said they would not send their kids to school if masks are required, while others say they would not send their kids if masks are not required.

In determining whether a school moves in or out of universal indoor masking, KPBSD uses criteria outlined in their policy.

A “conversation” between district administrators and school site administrators is triggered when a school district meets four out of five criteria outlined in the plan. Factors considered include a school community positivity rate of 3% or higher, a student absenteeism rate of 25% or higher, local and regional hospital and ICU capacity, a community’s COVID-19 case count per 100,000 people and the impact of a school’s staff absenteeism rate.

People can confidentially report a positive COVID-19 test for themselves or their child to their school nurse or to Nurse Miller by calling 907-260-2391 or by emailing MMiller@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.

KPBSD’s full COVID-19 mitigation plan, as well as community case numbers and quarantine protocols for vaccinated and unvaccinated students is available on the district’s COVID-19 website at covid19.kpbsd.org.

Reach reporter Ashlyn O’Hara at ashlyn.ohara@peninsulaclarion.com.

More in News

The Kenai Peninsula College main entrance on Aug. 18, 2022, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Chiappone and Dunstan to speak at the KPC Showcase

Kenai Peninsula College continues its showcase with two new speakers this week and next

U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, talks about issues of concern regarding the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons during a floor speech in the House chamber on Wednesday. (Screenshot from official U.S. House of Representatives video feed)
Begich leads in early results, but Alaska’s U.S. House race won’t be immediately decided

About 245,000 ballots had been counted by 11:32 p.m., and Peltola trailed by about 5 percentage points

The Alaska governor’s mansion on Wednesday. Gov. Mike Dunleavy is considered a contender for a post in Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Election summary: Trump wins, GOP takes over U.S. Senate, Alaska may get new governor

Begich and repeal of ranked choice voting narrowly lead; GOP may lose control of state House.

Nesbett Courthouse in downtown Anchorage on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Voters line up at the polling site at Anchorage City Hall on Nov. 4, 2024. City Hall was one of the designated early voting sites in Alaska’s largest city. It is not a designated site for Election Day voting. (Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska Republicans lose two seats in state House, increasing odds of leadership switch

Rural Alaska precincts had reported few results by 11:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

Donald Trump won or was leading as of Wednesday morning in all seven swing states in the 2024 presidential election. (Doug Mills / The New York Times)
Donald Trump returns to power, ushering in new era of uncertainty

He played on fears of immigrants and economic worries to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris.

A voter is handed as ballot at Woodworth School in Dearborn, Mich., on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. One of the most consequential presidential elections in the nation’s modern history is well underway, as voters flocked to churches, schools and community centers to shape the future of American democracy. (Nick Hagen/The New York Times)
Trump verges on victory, picking up Pennsylvania

Donald Trump has captured Pennsylvania, the biggest prize of the seven battleground… Continue reading

Signs and supporters line the Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Unofficial results for the 2024 general election

Preliminary, unofficial election results as of 9:55 p.m.

Poll worker Carol Louthan helps voters submit ballots at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Update: Bjorkman, Ruffridge, Elam and Vance lead in election night results

Several residents said that they came out to vote because they knew this election was “a big one.”

Most Read