Like many other entities, local school districts are scrambling with how to deal with the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

On Monday night, the Mid-Prairie School Board voted to postpone an upcoming fine arts trip to New York City.

“As you are aware, the coronavirus has caused a lot of people to reconsider what they should do about trips, plans, conventions and things like that,” Superintendent Mark Schneider said. “We started discussions last week with our attorney and public health.”

Schneider said that he has had a number of discussions with public health officials in recent days.

“When you start thinking about it, there are so many moving parts, you think ‘I never thought of that,’” he said. “When you start considering that, you’re responsible for other people and other peoples’ lives.

“Take any weather decision I’ve had to make, and this is a thousand times worse and a thousand times more complex.”

As an example, Schneider said, “Let’s say someone is infected in New York, and they bring it back to the community and then it infects residents at Parkside and Pleasantview. I’m not sure I want that on my conscience if that were to happen.”

He also asked what if a student gets infected in New York, and public health officials there order them to be quarantined in New York.

“How much risk am I willing to put people in?” Schneider asked.

As of Tuesday morning, New York City’s Health Department reported that there are 148 cases of COVID-19 statewide, with 25 of them in New York City.

In Iowa, the Department of Health has reported eight positive tests, including three in Johnson County.

The Highland school district is also dealing with a decision about upcoming travel.

Vocal students are scheduled to leave for Memphis and Nashville on March 25.

Highland Superintendent Ken Crawford said that the school board will make a decision on the trip on the Thursday or Friday prior to the trip.

“The nurse actually talked to the person in charge of the county in Memphis and talked through the situation with them,” Crawford said. “So, we are kind of in wait-and-see mode for that trip. We’ll also follow what other schools are doing in the area.”

Also, a small group of Mid-Prairie students and parents are scheduled to travel to Italy and Greece in early June.

High school teacher Shawna Sieren, who is leading that trip, said that the tour company is monitoring the situation. Currently, travel in Italy is locked down until at least April 3.

“They sent out and email a couple weeks ago saying that they are monitoring the situation and will let us know if anything changes regarding traveling to those locations,” she said.

About 65 students and 25 adults are scheduled for the Mid-Prairie trip to New York.

High School vocal teacher Collette McClellen, who is leading the trip, said not everyone on the trip purchased cancellation insurance. The cost of the trip is about $1,200 per person.

“My hope would be that, yes maybe students may be out some money, but there may be some benevolent people out there who would be willing to donate some money to help,” Schneider suggested.

McClellen said that the travel agent may be able to work with the school district if the trip is rescheduled rather than canceled.

“They have very good relationships with all of their vendors,” McClellen said. “The school would have to write a letter saying that this is our decision and ask them if they’d be willing to work with us and change our dates.”

School board member Jodi Meader, who was planning on taking the trip with her daughter, asked if there were any way to poll the parents on the trip for their opinions.

“I would want to run it by administrators first,” McClellen replied.

West Elementary Principal Bill Poock said his daughter is also taking the trip.

“She said that she would not want to go on the trip,” Poock said. “She said the risks outweigh the rewards.”

Board member Mary Allred said, “I would rather see us reschedule rather than cancel.”

The board voted 5-1 to postpone the trip, with Meader voting against the postponement.