COVID-19 UPDATED POLICIES
1/14/21
January 14, 2021
Clever Family:
After careful consideration and board approval, the Clever School District will be instituting new procedures concerning COVID-19 quarantines among staff and students. Until now, any staff or student who was considered a close contact to a COVID+ individual (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) was excluded from school and all school activities.
In November, Governor Parson in partnership with the Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education proposed new guidelines which would allow for staff and students who were properly masked to potentially avoid quarantine. IF both the individual who tests positive for COVID-19 AND the close contacts are masked, only the individual testing positive would be excluded from school and activities. Parents of close contacts will be notified of the potential exposure. Those close contacts who were properly masked would continue to come to school but would be excluded from extracurricular activities.
A list of ALL close contacts, masked and unmasked, will be submitted to the Christian County Health Department. The CCHD will then review the list and contact any parties they feel should quarantine. See the flowchart, graphic, and Q&A below for more detailed information about this policy.
Since there is an opportunity for close contacts to stay in seated instruction, you can see that proper and consistent mask wearing is crucial. Our safety policies since the beginning of the school year have included masking for all students and employees. However, these new guidelines can only work if masks are worn properly and consistently.
When an individual tests positive for COVID-19, the mask wearing habits of the close contacts will be considered. Only those students who consistently wear their masks properly will be allowed to stay in school. All others will be excluded for the ten day period.
These new guidelines will potentially decrease the numbers of students and adults required to quarantine, thus providing a more consistent learning experience for our students. Thank you for the support you have provided this year. While this year has presented many challenges, the joint efforts of our school and community have made it possible for the majority of our students to continue to spend their days in a seated classroom environment.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes, please do not hesitate to reach out to your building principal or me.
Stay safe. Stay well. Stay bluejay strong.
Mr. Benjy Fenske
Superintendent
Clever R-V School District