Like so many other organizations and companies, Blue Earth Area Schools has been hit by staffing shortages specifically during the omicron surge. Recently, Superintendent Mandy Fletcher said that community members can come in and be guest employees, whether it be as teachers, paraprofessional or custodial staff, to help ease the employee shortage.
Fletcher says that guest employees are needed in all areas of the district to fill a large variety of needs.
As of February 1st, the District had 5 staff members and 8 students with active cases of COVID. Fletcher says the district has adopted the CDC’s recent shortened quarantine guidelines which enables staff and students who feel well enough to return to school after 5 days.
Superintendent Fletcher said the district’s partnership with UHD has been important. The district has been meeting with them weekly since last summer to exchange information about COVID-19 numbers in the area and district and receive updates and guidance about state guidelines.