Ontonagon schools limit number of basketball spectators

By JAN TUCKER

jantuck@jamadots.com

Ontonagon — The Ontonagon Area Board of Education Monday, endorsed the decision of Superintendent Jim Bobula to permit only two people for each participant in a basketball game to attend the game and games against those schools who do the same.

The decision, Bobula said, follows the guideline of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. The school board stopped short, however, of requiring for those two spectators per participant to be from the same family. He said that decision is an attempt to eliminate an amount of exposure and is best for the kids and family. He continued the regulation includes home and away games.

“We just want to do what is best for kids,” he said.

The superintendent presented the contact and attendance report for the Extended Continuity of Learning Plan which must be reported to the state. In grades K-5 with 99 face-to-face students, attendance rates are between 92% and 98%. For 19 full-time virtual students, two-way communication is 89%. Attendance rates for the 128 6th through 12th graders with face-to-face instruction are between 86% and 96%, and 41 full-time and hybrid students, two-way communication is 75%.

The superintendent noted that today is count day for the state, and due to a 2-hour delay the school had to run an abbreviated schedule to get all periods in for pupil accounting purposes. He said the school numbers are holding their own and slightly larger than last year.

The board also gave its vote for the Michigan Association of School Board of Directors to Janice VanGasse.

The board praised the support staff. Bobula said they came into the school, sanitized the rooms, and did extra things when the kids were not present. Kudos were also given to athletic director Tim Routheaux for his efforts in juggling schedules to get the kids a season of competition and the kids an opportunity to play. 

Those with questions about attending games can contact Routheaux or Bobula, the superintendent said.