School Districts Schedule Vaccination Clinics

FARMINGTON -- Farmington, Prairie Grove and Lincoln school districts have clinics scheduled on-site through Collier Drug Store for employees to receive the covid-19 vaccine, according to school officials.

Prairie Grove is scheduled to have a clinic 2-4 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 23), according to Assistant Superintendent David Kellogg.

Stephanie Pinkerton, Farmington assistant superintendent, said Farmington is scheduled to have a clinic during the week of Jan. 25 but she did not have the exact date yet.

Lincoln Consolidated School District will have its vaccine clinic on Feb. 5, according to Mary Ann Spears, superintendent.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced last week that those 70 and older, school employees and childcare workers would be eligible to receive the vaccine, beginning Jan. 18.

Reba Holmes, Prairie Grove superintendent, said school officials began making plans as soon as the state released information that showed schools would be included in Phase 1B of the vaccine distribution.

"We wanted to get ahead of the game," Holmes said. "The sooner the better."

When the governor announced the date for schools had been moved up to Jan. 18, Prairie Grove's covid-19 point of contact, Danielle Randolph, immediately got in touch with Collier, said Kellogg.

"We all want it as soon as possible," Kellogg said.

Holmes said the district hopes to use the high school basketball arena and possibly the volleyball gym to set up for a mass vaccination clinic.

"This would give us plenty of room to space out," Holmes said, adding one idea is to have an area to receive employees, another area for the vaccinations and then a third area for employees to wait at least 15 minutes to make sure no one has any adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Kellogg said the district is using Google Docs for school employees to sign up for a time to get the vaccine. Employees will be asked to show up with their vaccination forms, school identification badge, driver's license and insurance card, Kellogg said.

Holmes said about 150 people so far have indicated they are interested in receiving the vaccination. Along with school employees, substitute teachers will be eligible for the vaccine, as well as employees of companies that come into the building for different reasons, such as janitorial staff and maintenance and repairs.

For those people associated with outside companies, Holmes said the school will have to provide a letter proving they are associated with a school district and are qualified to receive the vaccine at this time through the school district.

Holmes said from what she understands School Board members also will be eligible to receive the vaccination during this first group with Phase 1B.

Pinkerton said about 160 Farmington school employees so far have responded that they are interested in getting the vaccination.

In Lincoln, at least 60 school employees have indicated they want to get the vaccine, according to Jana Claybrook, learning services director/equity coordinator.

Lauren Underwood, human resources manager with Collier Drug Stores, said Collier will work with school officials on how they want to set up the clinics for their districts.