Corona Virus Response Update 3-12-2020
March 12, 2020
Dear District Families,
I am writing to update you on the status of our response to the coronavirus. As our state and nation’s experience begins to look more like that of Italy’s, more serious actions are being taken to slow the spread of the virus. As you know, the governor has declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts and the commissioner of education has requested that districts consider a ban on all out-of-state school trips. The district continues to closely monitor decisions made at the state level that might impact schools. Superintendents have been participating in conference calls with the commissioner, including one which will take place Friday morning.
We also continue to communicate with our local boards of health regarding how to respond to local circumstances. There are no known cases of the virus among district students, staff, or their families, at this time. Currently, we are considering whether or not to cancel evening events and events that bring significant numbers of family members into schools. Decisions about these are being made on a case by case basis at the moment.
In consulting with our school nurses, they would like to let families know that when a student is out sick for three or more days, the school nurse will be calling to inquire about the nature of the student’s illness. We request that families assist our nurses in gathering information that will help us ensure everyone’s good health.
In addition, I would ask families to begin to plan for the potential of schools being closed for an extended period of time. There is a growing possibility that this may occur in the state. Parents and guardians may also wish to discuss this possibility with employers so that due consideration can be made before the last second. Clearly, this move would cause great upheaval and hardship and would only be taken if our public health experts believe it is essential.
Should schools be closed for an extended period, we are studying the option of providing “distance learning” opportunities for students via the internet. Currently we are surveying students to gather data on the percentages of families that have internet access and computers at home. This will provide one dimension of information, out of many factors that need to be considered, in weighing home learning options.
Also, we are concerned about any disruption to our food service program during an extended school closure. We are investigating the possibility of providing meals to students in need during a closure.
While I would prefer to be writing to you with clear and detailed plans of action, I think it is more important to keep you up to date with where things stand on an ongoing basis. The moment is an uncomfortable and anxiety provoking one for everyone and so doubling our efforts to work in a spirit of openness and cooperation is going to remain important. Please feel free to contact my office with policy questions or school principals with building based or individual student questions.
For more information on coronavirus, the following websites are available with up-to-date information:
The CDC’s website: https://www.cdc.gov
Massachusetts Department of Public Health:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-cases-quarantine-and-monitoring
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/emergencyplan/covid19.html
We will continue to keep you informed of relevant information as it becomes available.
Sincerely Yours,
Michael Sullivan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools