District Use of ARP ESSER III Funds
December 14, 2021
O'Neill Public School has requested input concerning the use of its ARP ESSER III funds by surveying all constituents of the district via an online form posted on the school website and emailed directly to members of the teachers’ union. The survey, available in both Spanish and English, was specific in asking how those responding would like to see the funds used. Choices included: Summer Services, After School Learning Opportunities, Purchase of High Quality Teaching Materials, Teacher Training and Professional Development, Reduced Class Sizes, Additional Social-Emotional Resources for Students, Developing and Implementing Procedures and Systems to Improve the Preparedness and Response Efforts Related to Future Pandemics, Purchasing Supplies to Sanitize and Clean the School Facilities, School Facility Repairs and Improvements to Enable Operation of Schools to Reduce the Risk of Virus Transmission and Exposure to Environmental Health Hazards, and to Support Student Health Needs. The district also held a public meeting that was advertised in the Holt County Independent to review and take public comment on our Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plans and the use of ARP funds. It was determined that funds would be used in the following ways.
- Funds will be spent to implement prevention and mitigation strategies in order to continuously and safely open and operate our schools for in-person learning. This will include purchasing additional engines for Auto II class to allow for social distancing, hiring two additional elementary school teachers and add two periods of English at the High School to allow for smaller class sizes, purchasing buckets of sanitizing wipes to disinfect desks and table, purchasing high MERV filters for our HVAC systems, and purchasing bottle filling stations so that students can safely consume water without the use of fountains that spread germs.
- At least 20% of our ARP funds will be spent to address the academic impact of lost learning due to the pandemic. These funds will be spent to purchase updated curriculum and technology that will allow for technology integration and ensure continued learning for those forced to learn from home for periods of time due to isolation or quarantine. The devices will also assist in the delivery of quality instruction during summer school sessions used to recoup unfinished learning.
- To address the academic impact of lost instruction time and ensure that we respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all of our students, funds will be spent in the following ways. Funds will be spent to purchase iPads that can be checked out as needed to assist with learning loss outside of regular school hours for our EL students. High quality interventions and digital resources such as Acadience, Newsela, Achieve 3000 will be used during the school year as well as during summer and after school learning time to remediate learning loss and measure progress for all students. To address the social, emotional and mental health needs of students we will contract with Heartland Counseling to provide an LMHP. Based on individual data reviews, summer and after school services will be offered to all students in need regardless of their color, ethnic background, primary language spoken, disability or economic situation.
- Finally we will purchase an additional van to enable us to socially distance students traveling to activities.
