2019-2020 School Year - Communication Archive

February 28, 2020

Dear SVSU Families and Staff:

We understand that many families have questions regarding the recent outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and how it may impact our local communities. The Vermont Department of Health and the CDC are providing daily updates and recommendations. Please click on the following links to stay updated – Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Vermont Department of Health – Coronavirus Information.

While this is a public health concern, the Vermont Department of Heath reports that currently there are no reported cases of the Novel Coronavirus in Vermont.  The CDC continues to report that the immediate risk to the general public remains low at this time. Yet, in today’s connected world, with families traveling during school vacation weeks, the potential for infectious disease is always of concern. As with seasonal flu and strep infections, there are general precautions we can all take to remain as healthy as possible.

• Practice good hand hygiene. Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Use Alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. You can also cough or sneeze into your sleeve. Throw used tissues in the trash and immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Avoid sharing drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, dishes, towels or other items. Wash these items thoroughly with soap and water after use.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick whenever possible.
• Practice other good health habits: Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.  

It is important to keep children home from school when they are ill. If your child has any of the following symptoms please keep them home from school: temperature greater than 100.4, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, any rash not yet diagnosed by a physician, red or pink itchy eye, and/or drainage from eye, and any contagious illness such as chicken pox, strep throat or flu. 

The Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is an evolving situation that we are following closely and will continue to update you as information is shared with us. Our custodians are vigilantly sanitizing our educational spaces as we typically do during cold and flu season. We are following all recommended guidelines to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

We remain deeply committed to student and staff wellness and will continue to share new information with you, as necessary, about this evolving situation.

Sincerely,

James R. Culkeen

Superintendent of Schools

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing and sneezing; going to the bathroom; or sneezing; and before eating or preparing food.
• Keep your children away from others who are sick or keep them home if they are ill.
• Teach children to cough and sneeze into a tissue (make sure to throw it away after each use) or to cough and sneeze into their arm or elbow, not their hands.
• Clean and disinfect your home as usual using regular household cleaning sprays and wipes.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands; teach your children to do the same.
• Avoid travel to highly infected areas.
• If students display flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, they should not come to school. Families are advised to call the child’s primary care physician for guidance.

• All field trips and large gatherings are cancelled until further notice. 
• All sporting events, practices, and afterschool programs at all schools are cancelled until further notice. 
• School buildings will only be open to students and school personnel. Community members and the general public will not be allowed to enter school buildings.
• Parents/guardians may not enter the building for morning drop-off and those arriving for afternoon pick up must wait outside the building. 
• The use of school facilities by community organizations will not be allowed until further notice.
• Small group meetings such as IEP meetings may continue. All participants’ will be asked COVID-19 screening questions before they can participate. If they are sick they will not be allowed in our school buildings but may participate by phone.

---

March 10, 2020

We are continuing to monitor advisories from the Vermont Department of Health  and the Vermont Agency of Education. We do not have any updates at this time.

Although there are currently no restrictions for in state or interstate travel, school administrators have been asked to submit a list of planned events to the superintendent’s office for review. Some regional events have been cancelled, including the New England Music Festival, which was set for March 19-21 in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Please continue to check our website for the most up to date information.

---

March 9, 2020

With the discovery of a new case of COVID-19 in Bennington County over the weekend, we want to provide you with the most up to date information on how our school community is following the guidance of the Center for Disease Control, Vermont Department of Health, and Vermont Agency of Education.

We continue to recommend that you use common disease prevention measures as the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many of the precautions that help prevent other respiratory diseases, like colds and the flu, can also help keep an illness like COVID-19 from spreading. Please refer to this poster from the CDC for important points on how to stop the spread of germs.

Members of our custodial staff are cleaning the hard surfaces in our schools, including those in rest rooms, nurse’s offices, cafeterias, classroom desks, and all door handles hardware throughout the campuses.

As the course of this virus progresses, we do expect, and are prepared for, more cases of the COVID-19 to appear in Vermont. In preparation, we are in daily communication with the Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Agency of Education. For timely updates, please check our Facebook page and website.

---

March 8, 2020

A Message from Superintendent James Culkeen Regarding the Coronavirus in our Community:

"We are waiting for instruction from the Vermont Department of Health and Vermont Agency of Education and will follow their guidance and instruction.”