Oneida School District
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Message from the Superintendent
November 12, 2020
Re: UPDATE on COVID Plan and School Calendar
Dear Parents, Students, and Employees of the Oneida School District,
The Oneida School District School Board held an emergency meeting on November 12, 2020, to review and make updates to the District’s COVID Plan. The School Board has been closely monitoring the COVID cases and student quarantines in our schools. We have seen an alarming increase in quarantines. The Board has held several additional meetings to be responsive to the ever-changing COVID research information and COVID cases in our schools. It is an ongoing challenge to balance student safety while striving to optimize student learning. During the meeting, several changes were made to the COVID Plan, school calendar, and school hours.
We are very grateful for the overwhelming support we have received regarding the mask mandate. Teachers, staff, and administration have worked hard to keep our schools safe and keep our schools open. While trying to adhere to safety protocols at school closely, it is critically important for our families and community also to make efforts to slow the spread. COVID cases will not slow down unless everyone does their part.
The following decisions were made during the School Board meeting:
We know that many of our students have been quarantined. We ask parents to work with the school administration to understand how the new quarantine guidelines affect the return of students back to school. We know that some students who have been out of school have fallen behind with classroom assignments. We urge parents/students to use the week of November 23 to catch up if behind. Teachers will make every effort to post all assignments and support options on their Schoology or Google Classroom pages.
Sincerely,
Rich Moore
Superintendent
Oneida School District #351
Re: UPDATE on COVID Plan and School Calendar
Dear Parents, Students, and Employees of the Oneida School District,
The Oneida School District School Board held an emergency meeting on November 12, 2020, to review and make updates to the District’s COVID Plan. The School Board has been closely monitoring the COVID cases and student quarantines in our schools. We have seen an alarming increase in quarantines. The Board has held several additional meetings to be responsive to the ever-changing COVID research information and COVID cases in our schools. It is an ongoing challenge to balance student safety while striving to optimize student learning. During the meeting, several changes were made to the COVID Plan, school calendar, and school hours.
We are very grateful for the overwhelming support we have received regarding the mask mandate. Teachers, staff, and administration have worked hard to keep our schools safe and keep our schools open. While trying to adhere to safety protocols at school closely, it is critically important for our families and community also to make efforts to slow the spread. COVID cases will not slow down unless everyone does their part.
The following decisions were made during the School Board meeting:
- Exposure definition:
- A person who has been inside six feet of a person who has tested positive for a continuous period of more than 15 minutes.
- Student quarantine:
- Students who have been exposed (by definition) will be quarantined at home for 5 days from the time of exposure.
- If during that 5-day quarantine they have not demonstrated any COVID symptoms, they may return to school and are to wear a mask (if mandated masks have been removed) and social distance and closely monitor their symptoms for 9 additional days.
- If they have developed symptoms or tested positive for COVID, they are to quarantine for 10 days.
- If, on day 10, they have not had any symptoms for the previous 3 days, they may return to school.
- If they continue to have symptoms, they stay quarantined until doctors release them or 3 days without symptoms.
- Calendar adjustment:
- November 23 and 24 school has been canceled.
- There will not be any instruction on those two days.
- Instructional Day:
- Beginning November 30, there will be a 45-minute early release.
- This additional time will be given so teachers may better serve students who are quarantined. Teachers are asked to reach out to students and make sure Schoology and Google classroom is current.
- Special efforts should be made to help those students who have fallen behind due to being quarantined. This is projected to continue until winter break.
- Generally speaking, the threshold for the shortened day will be 20% of the students quarantined.
We know that many of our students have been quarantined. We ask parents to work with the school administration to understand how the new quarantine guidelines affect the return of students back to school. We know that some students who have been out of school have fallen behind with classroom assignments. We urge parents/students to use the week of November 23 to catch up if behind. Teachers will make every effort to post all assignments and support options on their Schoology or Google Classroom pages.
Sincerely,
Rich Moore
Superintendent
Oneida School District #351