It’s a Great Day to be a Tiger! What an awesome week it has been so far! WMCSD faculty and staff started back on Monday, August 3rd. It was good to see returning staff and meet our new people. Parent Days at Winona Elementary are off to a fantastic start, and Winona Secondary students will pick up schedules on Thursday and Friday. See dates and times for both at winonamontgomerycsd.com.
As schools open around the state, everyone wants to know how many cases of COVID-19 there are in those schools. One thing to keep in mind is that students and employees have had COVID-19 over the summer. Some have recovered, and some are quarantined due to a positive test result or a close contact. There will be students and employees who come to school not knowing yet that they have it. WMCSD is vigilant in screening to identify anyone who may have COVID-19, but there will be new cases reported once school starts. We have plans for addressing people who are contacts, close contacts, and positive cases. We also have a system for reporting information or concerns associated with positive cases and cleaning protocols. See protocols, letters, and reporting form on our website under “Restart and Recovery Plan Documents.”
WMCSD employees are being trained on their responsibilities in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Today, I would like to share ways students and parents will help us have a healthy and safe school year. Students and parents should practice handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and wearing a face covering properly at home on a daily basis. Students should come to school on their assigned days wearing clean clothes and face coverings.
As always, parents are an important part of our success. Each morning before sending children to the bus stop or getting them in the car, parents will check children for fever and symptoms associated with COVID-19 and other contagious illnesses. When students are sick, parents will keep them at home.
Self-checking and writing down temperatures is very important in setting a baseline for what a person’s temperature is normally. Students and employees with a temperature of 100.0℉ or higher may not report to school. Temperatures of students and employees will be taken upon arrival each day. Everyone will also be required to answer the self-screening questions each day.
- Have you been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
- Have you been directed by a health official to quarantine?
- Have you had any of the following symptoms in the last 48 hours? Fever greater than 100.0℉, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, and/or new loss of sense of taste or smell.
Students will be required to wear a face covering at all times including on the bus to and from school and in classrooms, restrooms, hallways, outdoors, etc. Face coverings will be worn covering the nose and mouth. Masks and neck gaiters must be solid in color with no logos or emblems. Students and employees will be given two washable masks by the district. Washable face coverings should be washed daily, and disposable masks should be disposed of by placing them in a garbage can as soon as arriving at home. Face shields may be worn in limited situations and according to the State Health Officer, Dr. Dobbs are not as effective as masks.
Students and staff will physically distance as much as possible. The hybrid schedule will allow us to reduce the number of students in each class by half. As few people as possible will be allowed in any area at any time. The smaller the area, the fewer people that should be in that area.
This year will be challenging, but we are up for the challenge. We are TIGERStrong!