Moscow School District nurse released from her contract

The Moscow School Board on Monday voted 3-2 to allow the district’s only school nurse, Amy Conway, to be released from her contract. In late September, the school board voted to release Conway, providing a replacement could be found. However, administrators are still looking for a replacement.

“With COVID-19, it’s been a hit on our staff,” Superintendent Greg Bailey said in the meeting. “Unfortunately, phone calls have not been generally positive and it’s taken a toll on our entire staff.”

Board Member Jim Frenzel, who voted against the request in September, said he didn’t think it would be a good idea to release someone from their contract in the middle of the year. He proposed that if Conway declined to fulfill her contract, the matter would be sent to the Idaho Professional Standards Commission.

Board Member Dawn Fazio disagreed and said it was an extenuating circumstance.

“She was gracious enough to give us a couple months to find someone,” Fazio said. “I don’t think it’s her fault we didn’t find someone. I know it does put us in a hard position.”

Fazio put forth a motion to approve Conway’s request to be released from her contract, against recommendations from Bailey. Frenzel and Board Chairman Ken Faunce voted against the measure.

Friday is Conway’s last day as the school district’s nurse. Bailey said the district also employs an assistant nurse and a substitute nurse who can help out in Conway’s absence.

“We have a couple possible applicants we’re communicating with,” he said. “As in every case with nursing, it’s been hard to fill.”

Bailey said he spoke with Gritman Medical Center and the hospital is struggling to retain nurses as well.

The school district is currently looking to increase the salary for the nursing position with the hopes of recruiting two new nurses.

“We believe we can move forward and find a replacement,” he said. “We appreciate the work our nurse did when she was here.”

The district will also no longer require asymptomatic students identified as close contacts to quarantine at home beginning Nov. 29.

According to an email sent to families Tuesday, parents and guardians will still be notified if a student with a confirmed case of COVID-19 was present in their child’s classroom.

“These identified students will be monitored at school for any symptoms,” Bailey stated in the announcement. “Parents and guardians are also requested to continue to take precautions and monitor their children for COVID-19-like symptoms and to keep students at home when symptomatic.”

The school district has PCR saliva tests for students or immediate family members who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The tests can be picked up at school or the district office.

Palermo can be reached at apalermo@dnews.com or on Twitter @apalermotweets.