Weekly Update from Superintendent Beck

Jan. 10, 2021

Dear GMRSD Families,

Update on Local COVID-19 Data 

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Town of Montague continues to be identified as a "higher-risk" municipality for the presence of COVID-19. The most recent update to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health Weekly Public Heath Report, can be accessed at the following link:

https://www.mass.gov/doc/weekly-covid-19-public-health-report-january-7-2021/download

This designates Montague as "red" on the color coding system that identifies cases of COVID-19 and the percentage of positive COVID tests. Over the last 14 days, Montague has had 28 positive cases and has a test positivity rate of 4.22%. This reflects a second week of stabilized, rather than increasing COVID data. But the continued status of Montague as a "higher-risk" municipality, means that we will propose a timeline for return to on-campus learning, that will allow time for Montague to see a decrease in DPH risk designation.

Tentative Timeline for Return to On-Campus Learning

Given the presence of COVID-19 in our community, as indicated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, we propose the following as the earliest possible dates for return to students to in-person learning:

           January 25th- Phase 1 Priority Populations

           February 1st- Remaining K-12 students in hybrid model

These proposed dates are tentative and will depend on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health COVID-19 data and risk-designation of our communities, to be published on January14th. I will provide an update on this proposed timeline, upon review of that report. If data indicates that we can proceed on this proposed timeline, that communication will also include links to student training and updated district and school plans. These updates are necessary, as all districts are reviewing new advisories from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Update on Facilities Improvements  

Repairs to the ventilation systems of the elementary schools have been completed enough to retest ventilation. We are pleased to see that repairs have resulted in achieving targeted levels of air exchange in each of the elementary schools. Hillcrest Elementary, Sheffield Elementary, and Gill Elementary Schools have had air exchange tests completed. Those reports are in links below:

HILLCREST ELEMENTARY - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cd6JU4fZyizUhec1pGKeSyq-cljK3Sux/view

SHEFFIELD ELEMENTARY - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XkrdMOxiR-4zc-T92_uHnEVr8rbtqsPW/view

GILL ELEMENTARY - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NhfIqa5EbRhyjfUI6k1QwQx5dQTkc2Ed/view

Combined with the air purifiers and air scrubbers deployed throughout school buildings, these buildings will have higher levels of clean air exchange than they may have ever had. 

The High School/Middle School building still has several repairs underway. I will provide the updated reports to the community, as soon as we receive them from the contractor.

Keeping Schools Informed- Thank you for Family Communications about COVID Cases

Some staff and families in our community have also had positive cases confirmed in their homes. We wish all those impacted a quick recovery. We are also deeply appreciative, that even while we are in the remote learning model, families who have had close contacts or positive cases in their home, have contacted schools to keep their nurses informed. This is very helpful to our planning and tracking of community spread. While health information is private and protected, we ask that all families commit to inform your child's school, if you have a positive case or concern for exposure to COVID in your home. The nurse contacts at each district school, to report child or household COVID-19 concern, are as follows:

Hillcrest Elementary - Melissa Bednarski melissa.bednarski@gmrsd.org 413-863-2638

Sheffield Elementary - Suzanne Martino Suzanne.martino@gmrsd.org 413-863-7441

Gill Elementary- Carol Varner carol.varner@gmrsd.org 413-863-7458

Turners Falls High School/Great Falls Middle School- 413-863-7313

-Melissa Lynde melissa.lynde@gmrsd.org 

-Amy Killay amy.killay@gmrsd.org

Please continue to work together to keep one another safe!

Sincerely,

Brian Beck

Superintendent of Schools