Board: Mask mandate will end in June

The Cloquet school board is whittling away at changing a new normal into just plain normal after an entire school year under the Covid-19 pandemic protocols.

On Monday, board members agreed that masking mandates in district buildings would be lifted by the end of June, mirroring a loosening of protective measures sparked by state and national guidance as the threat of Covid-19 has ebbed.

Superintendent Michael Cary said current recommendations call for masks to be worn in school buildings only during the school day. He said it would make sense to keep that policy until the current school year ends officially on June 30.

The board agreed, with some members hoping future language in school policy would allow students and staff to voluntarily wear masks without feeling ostracized if they choose to.

The board tabled — but is expected to act at its next meeting June 14 — any measure to change how school board meetings are presented to the public. It has provided an online stream of meetings during the pandemic but could abandon the practice as people feel more comfortable attending meetings in person. Some board members like the idea of more access online continuing. Cary said the only hurdle in continuing a live feed of the meetings was cost.

Carlton talks

Cary said he met with Carlton superintendent John Engstrom and Carlton school board chairwoman Julianne Emerson about a tuition agreement should Carlton choose to convert to a K-8 district.

“The process is still occurring,” Cary said. The two sides would need to come to an agreement about how much funding Cloquet would receive in taking on Carlton students, which number roughly about 30 in each of the top four grades.

The earliest agreement would be for the 2022-23 school year, Cary said, to allow for planning with the influx of students.

The Carlton representatives have also spoken with the Barnum district about an agreement.

Carlton board members this month discussed options as they have plans to call for a referendum on the future of the district in November or early next year.

Under a tuition agreement, Carlton would have students from pre-school to eighth grade at a modified South Terrace building, with 9-12 students released to a neighboring district. They can also open-enroll in any district, as many do now, but an agreement would mean the neighboring district would have to accept its students.

Theater contract

The Cloquet board agreed, through its consent agenda, to hire Iris Keller as the director of this fall’s high school musical production. Keller has worked for the district for two decades and has been behind the scenes for many of what have become renowned fall musicals and other productions. She is a sign language interpreter for the district with a music education background as well.

Keller directed a successful one-act play the past school year and was assistant director for the spring play.