Elementary & Secondary  School Emergency Relief Funds (ARP/ESSER III) Spending Plan

2021-2024

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government initiated the Elementary & Secondary Emergency Education Relief (ESSER) Fund. The funding is allocated to schools  based on each school’s percentage of economically disadvantaged students. For Dewey Public Schools, the total amount of dollars allocated for the 3rd installment titled the American Rescue Plan (ARP)/ESSER III is $1,855,675.84. These funds are available until September 2024 as a reimbursement for costs associated with a school’s response to the pandemic in keeping students and staff safe and overcoming student learning loss. The following is a general plan for utilizing the funds at Dewey Schools.

Areas of Focus 

Student Learning Loss

Staff/Student Safety

Facility Renovation

Student/School Transportation

Staffing Retention

Technology

Student Learning Loss

● After school tutoring programs (Staffing) - Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 9,000.00

Purpose: These programs are developed to address the learning loss of students in response to elongated student absences due to COVID-19.

● Summer school programs (Staffing) - Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 52,371.26

Purpose: These programs are developed to address the learning loss of students in response to elongated student absences due to COVID-19.

● Remediation programs (Staffing) - Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 23                         Cost: S 34,329.92

Purpose: These programs are developed to address the learning loss of students in response to elongated student absences due to COVID-19. Additional staffing is needed to teach in remedial pull-out programs during the school day.

● Stipends for staff members working extra duties to support the district’s online learning program

- Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 27,519.00

Purpose: Stipends for employees working in our Virtual Learning programs that are designed to address learning loss of students who must remain out of school and continue their education in a virtual environment in response to the potential effects of COVID-19.

● Curriculum and software programs to support learning within school remediation programs during

the school year and in after school tutoring and summer school programs - Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 114,196.18

Purpose: For use in regular instruction, summer school, after school tutoring, and remedial programs that are used to assist teachers in addressing the learning loss of students in response to elongated absences due to COVID-19.

Staff/Student Safety

● Replacement of aged Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units districtwide - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 314,102.91

Purpose: Replacement of aged HVAC units will be addressed to assist in providing better air quality in preparation and response to COVID-19. Many of our current units are inefficient in moving quality air through their filtering systems. Also, this will allow us to take advantage of better air filtering technology as higher quality air filtering systems will be targeted.

● Update surveillance system to better support contact tracing - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 23                          Cost: $ 108,733.33

Purpose: Installation and repair of facility surveillance systems will support increased efficiency and effectiveness during contact tracing in response to limiting the transmission of COVID-19.

● Replacement of interior and exterior doors for ventilation purposes - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 23                          Cost: $ 11,500.00

Purpose: Replacement of interior/exterior doors will be addressed to assist in providing better air quality in preparation and response to COVID-19. Many of our doors are in inadequate condition to remain open when necessary to allow for increased airflow.

● Replacement of windows for ventilation purposes - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 23                          Cost: $ 17,800.00

Purpose: Replacement of aged windows will be addressed to assist in providing better air quality in preparation and response to COVID-19. Some of our classroom windows do not work properly to allow for opening and closing to allow fresh air to flow into classrooms as needed.

● Repair of existing roof structures to eliminate leaking - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 22 & 23                Cost: $ 188,595.25

Purpose: Projects include roof repairs and installation of new roofing materials on existing school buildings to reduce the amount of water leakage inside school buildings. The chronic leaking of school buildings can have an adverse effect on the air quality within the buildings thus creating an unsafe environment. The district is attempting to correct as many air quality issues that we may have as we work to eliminate the spread of COVID-19 and other air contaminants so that we can keep staff and students on campus for as long and as much as possible.

● Salaries and benefits for janitorial staff and/or costs costs associated with contracted janitorial services -

    Status: ONGOING

○  Completed: FY 23                          Cost: $ 127,874.97

Purpose: These professional services are being procured to enhance our cleaning and disinfecting protocols to prepare and respond to COVID-19.

Facility Renovation

● Removing carpet and install non-porous floor surfaces - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 23                          Cost: $ 13,250.38

Purpose: Removal of carpet in facilities will allow for installation of non-porous floor surfaces helping to eliminate trapped bacteria, reducing the risk of virus transmission and supporting a healthy environment for students as we respond to COVID-19.

Student/School Transportation

● Purchase of buses and other approved school transportation - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 22                          Cost: $ 327,942.00

Purpose: The purchase of additional student transportation will provide more route options to better distance students by reducing the number of students transported in a school vehicle at one time as we prepare and respond to COVID-19.

Staffing Retention

● Employee salary and benefits for a school based nurse - Status: COMPLETE

○  Completed: FY 22                          Cost: $ 72,217.50

Purpose: Salary for school nurse to assist in providing health and safety options and to develop and safety plans in preparation for and in response to COVID-19.

●  Stipends for staff members as incentives to remain with the district during the pandemic and for extra duties

    performed to keep staff/students safe and providing for distance learning - Status: COMPLETE

○ Completed: FY 21                          NO ARP/ESSER III FUNDS WERE USED

Technology

● Technology such as chromebooks and desktop computers/monitors to support remote learning programs, after

    school tutoring programs, remediation programs, Summer School programs, and remote learning options for

    students - Status: COMPLETE

○ Completed: FY 21/22                      NO ARP/ESSER III FUNDS WERE USED

● Software programs/tools to support virtual, blended, and distance learning options - Status: COMPLETE

○ Completed: FY 21/22                      NO ARP/ESSER III FUNDS WERE USED

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