CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District’s employees and staff are still waiting for their allocation of the COVID-19 vaccination, which has been delayed.
At Monday night’s board meeting, Superintendent Terry Struble reported school employees/staff were in the 1B vaccination category, which hasn’t changed.
However, he said the 1A vaccination category “drastically” grew recently when Pennsylvania opted to add a wider-range of people to this category.
“That’s bumped school staff back to some period of time down the road before it becomes a focus group [to receive the COVID vaccination],” Struble said.
The 1A category makes the vaccine available to health care professionals as well as long-term care facility residents and personnel.
It also includes residents who are 65 years and older and those who are ages 16 to 64 years and who suffer from underlying, high-risk conditions like cancer or heart conditions.
Struble said any employees or staff who fall into those last two aforementioned categories could receive their vaccination individually now as part of Group 1A.
“But that wouldn’t be something we could coordinate through the school,” Struble explained. “A week-and-a-half to two weeks ago, we were talking to Penn Highlands to estimate our need.
“… Now, that’s on hold as we wait through the first group of people to get vaccinated. We’ll continue to work through and do the best we can to mitigate under the school format we’re in.”
Board Recognition Month
Struble also recognized board members as part of Board Recognition Month, which occurs each year during the month of January to remind the community of their service.
He said they are elected to the board for either a two- or four-year term, and there’s no monetary benefit whatsoever attached to the position.
“There’s no meeting money, they cannot accept mileage and they cannot accept different things for performing their duties as part of Clearfield Area School District’s board,” he said.
“They truly do it as part of their heart, wanting to reach out and do what’s best for the community and most importantly for our biggest stakeholders – our kids, our children.”
Struble said board members have a “thankless” job that takes up countless hours with merely the review of information to be able to make advised decisions.
“It’s not easy and there’s nothing in it for you other than to help your neighbors,” he said, thanking board members for all their time and efforts.
