Bemidji School Board Member Jeff Haack resigned during the board’s meeting Monday.
During the last portion of the meeting, Haack said he wanted to focus more time and effort on his children and on the Bemidji ISD #31 Foundation. Haack said last night’s meeting would be his last.
Haack was last elected to the board during the 2020 election, his latest term beginning on Jan. 1. of this year.
Superintendent Tim Lutz reported earlier in the meeting that COVID-19 numbers are the highest they’ve ever been at a case rate of over 130, with Haack noting that Beltrami County’s case rate is nearly triple what would have been the standard last year to send all students to distance learning.
The district, in coordination with MDH and Beltrami County Public Health, will hold a vaccine clinic this Saturday for students aged 5 through 11.
Lutz said he hopes it would add another layer of protection to keep more students in school. Lutz reported that at the end of last week, 3 staff members and 49 students were COVID positive.
The district will also need to be prepared if a COVID-19 vaccine requirement from OSHA clears the courts.
These OSHA rules would be applicable to any enterprise that has more than 100 employees.
Director of Human Resources Jordan Hickman said in the event the standards clear the federal courts, there is an option to mandate COVID-19 vaccines, or provide weekly COVID-19 testing for those who are not vaccinated.
Watch the video of last night’s school board meeting here.
