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Community Meeting Questions Presented on 9/3/2020
Community Meeting Questions Presented on 9/3/2020
We are concerned about the mental health of students being quarantined.
The SR3 district counselors are working with families and with our students to monitor mental health. The Missouri Department of Mental Health also offers free support to any families struggling through COVID-19.
Source: Missouri Department of Mental Health: https://www.moshowmehope.org/
2. CDC Guidelines have been updated to say that close contacts of a positive COVID case do not need to get tested unless you are a vulnerable individual. How does ACHD define vulnerable individuals?
AHCD: The guidance shows people at increased risk for severe illness as older adults, and people with medical conditions. Also stated is that people who need extra precautions are racial and ethnic minority groups, rural communities, homeless, pregnancy and breastfeeding, people with disabilities, and people with developmental and behavioral disorders. We have always followed the guidance of only symptomatic contacts needing tested as set forth with local healthcare providers.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/testing-overview.htm
3. Can the school offer online options to the students who are vulnerable?
Yes, the district did offer online options to any family who felt their child was more vulnerable to COVID-19. Decisions about in-person vs virtual learning options were up to the discretion of each student’s family.
Source: Savannah R3 Return to Learn: https://www.savannahr3.com/o/savannah-r3/page/2020-sr3-return-to-learn
4. ACHD has guided SR3 into extreme mitigation approaches.
SR3 administration did work closely with ACHD to help interpret guidelines for reopening from the Centers for Disease Control, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. We do not feel these guidelines are extreme and it was the decision of the SR3 administration to adhere to these guidelines when planning for school this fall.
Source:
SR3 Board Policy EBB: Communicable Diseases
Center for Disease Control: COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: Immediate Initiation of Contact Tracing for School Children
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Guidance for Assessing COVID-19 Exposure and Defining Close Contacts in a School Setting
5. Quarantine is not being followed outside of school. These kids are still getting together on the weekends.
That is beyond the control of SR3.
6. Children should be allowed to socialize with friends at lunch … they are doing it on the weekends anyway.
SR3 has several layers of mitigation in place. They all serve a part in the greater whole of flattening the curve. Removing a layer means more risk for the spread of COVID-19.
7. Why are high school students not allowed to use lockers?
High School students share a small locker space and students tend to congregate in locker areas. A decision was made not to use lockers for the first quarter to help with mitigation. This decision will be revisited at the end of the first quarter.
8. Many parents feel they were told one thing about mask use and the policy changed when school started.
Our stance on masks has not changed. We stated from the beginning that secondary students would be required to wear them in the hallways and in classrooms where social distancing is not possible. That is still the case. We have also reminded our staff that the expectation is for students to be six feet apart whenever possible in their classrooms so that masks may be removed.
Source: Savannah R3 Return to Learn: https://www.savannahr3.com/o/savannah-r3/page/2020-sr3-return-to-learn
9. If school is considered essential and teachers are considered essential why are we denying healthy students access to the regular classroom setting?
September 4, 2020 update from DESE:
“While the Departments of Health and Senior Services and Elementary and Secondary Education believe educators and school staff members are “essential” in that they provide invaluable services to the students across our state and prepare them for a bright future, in the State of Missouri, at this time, educators and school staff members are not officially designated as “essential workers” as that phrase relates to the current pandemic. In order for educators and/or school staff members to be classified as essential workers in Missouri, executive action would be required. “
Source: DESE: COVID-MO-K12-Reopening-Guidance
10. Does the Andrew County Health Department have legal authority to enforce quarantine upon residents?
If necessary, yes.
Source: https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/pdf/updated-joint-guidance-regarding-mitigation-in-schools.pdf
11. Are you considering the quality of education that students get virtually vs the online assignments given without true instruction while during quarantine?
Absolutely, our teachers are committed to helping our students be successful during their quarantine time and will work with them to cover missed instruction.
12. Does the county/ school receive money for every positive case from the CARES act?
No. The Andrew County Commissioners received CARES act money that they were tasked with distributing throughout the county to help aid in the mitigation of COVID-19. SR3 received some of this money for the purchase of masks, teacher shields, additional custodial equipment, food service supplies needed to aid in new requirements for serving, and technology that assists with virtual learning.
All purchases made with CARES act monies must be directly related to the mitigation of COVID-19. The funds are in no way tied to positive cases.
Source: US Dept. of Treasury ~ The CARES Act Provides Assistance for State, Local, and Tribal Government
13. Are you using a cumulative total of minutes of exposure within 6 feet of exposure to determine close contacts? If so, is that a district or health department guideline? Can you please reference where that guideline was established?
Per CDC guidance1: “Data are insufficient to precisely define the duration of time that constitutes a prolonged exposure. Recommendations vary on the length of time of exposure, but 15 minutes of close exposure can be used as an operational definition. Brief interactions are less likely to result in transmission; however, symptoms and the type of interaction (e.g., did the infected person cough directly into the face of the exposed individual) remain important”.
The point is, 15 minutes of exposure is a guideline or starting point used by SR3 and the Andrew County Health Department for contact tracing. We aren’t as worried about exposure when someone is simply washing hands near another for 20 seconds or passing in the hallway. However, if you are in contact with a positive COIVD case several times during the day or are working in close proximity for more than a few minutes, your risk for exposure is much higher.
Source:
Center for Disease Control: COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: Immediate Initiation of Contact Tracing for School Children
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Guidance for Assessing COVID-19 Exposure and Defining Close Contacts in a School Setting
14. Who makes the decision about close contact and quarantine?
That is a joint decision made by SR3 administration and the Andrew County Health Department the follows guidance from the CDC, MODHSS, and DESE.
Source:
Center for Disease Control: COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: Immediate Initiation of Contact Tracing for School Children
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Guidance for Assessing COVID-19 Exposure and Defining Close Contacts in a School Setting
15. What questions are being asked of students and families to determine if they were in face a close contact of the infected person?
SR3 has required seating charts for every classroom, lunch table, and school bus. This makes tracking the exposure from a positive case much easier. When we are unable to determine the reach of exposure more students will be asked to quarantine out of an abundance of caution.
ACHD will also talk to the positive case about other potential exposures outside of school.
16. What data are we using to determine when we will end quarantines?
We are following the guidance from the CDC and MDHSH that says close contacts of a positive case should be quarantined for 14 days.
Source:
Center for Disease Control: COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services: Immediate Initiation of Contact Tracing for School Children
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Guidance for Assessing COVID-19 Exposure and Defining Close Contacts in a School Setting
17. How are we addressing the 14-day interruptions in student learning and how that impacts their success?
Students are asked to take home their Chromebooks so they are able to access instruction and assignments from home. Our younger students may be given paper packets as they are more age-appropriate.
SR3 teachers are committed to helping our students be successful during their quarantine time and will work with them to cover missed instruction.
Source: What should quarantine look like for my student? https://sites.google.com/savannahr3.com/sr3covid-19toolkit/what-should-quarantine-look-like-for-my-student?authuser=0
18. What is being done to monitor the quarantined students’ mental health? Is the ACHD and SSD looking at depression and suicide trends and comparing the impact to COVID-19 trends to see what is more detrimental to students?
SR3 teaching staff will be in contact with quarantined students on a regular basis and district counselors will be checking in regularly. Any changes in behavior or concerns with a student’s well being will be addressed appropriately.
Unfortunately, data analysis on suicide trends can take upto 2 years.
19. Why are there inconsistencies in COVID-19 restrictions across the district in Andrew County?
When decisions were being made about SR3 Return to Learn this fall, SR3 administration worked alongside Andrew County Health Department for guidance on the mitigation of COVID-19. As the largest populated district in the county, we felt it was important to uphold the guidance of our local health officials. This guidance is the same across the entire SR3 school district.
Source:
SR3 Board Policy: EBB: Communicable Diseases
Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 https://sites.google.com/savannahr3.com/sr3covid-19toolkit/mitigating-the-spread-of-covid-19?authuser=0
20. Can we have a flow chart that is specific to how contact tracing and quarantine decisions are made?
We don’t have a flow chart for contact tracing, here are the steps we take.
PreK-5 (elementary) ~ These students move as a cohort. A positive case within this cohort will mean the entire group quarantines for 14 days.
6-12 (secondary) ~ The personal schedule for a positive case is printed. Seating charts are pulled for each class period listed. Students who sit directly in front of, beside, or behind the positive case are considered a close contact and will be asked to quarantine for 14 days.
Bus riders ~ Bus riders have assigned seats so contacts can be traced.
Athletics and Activities ~ Coaches have been asked to keep all students 6 feet apart when possible. This is much more feasible in a non-contact sport like tennis or XC. When this isn’t possible coaches are asked to keep a record of the students who are grouped together for practice. If there is no way to who a student has been in direct contact with it may result in the entire team being quarantined.
Source: SR3 COVID-19 Protocols https://sites.google.com/savannahr3.com/sr3covid-19toolkit/sr3-covid-19-protocols?authuser=0
21. If a student is quarantined multiple times can they be given the opportunity to move to virtual learning?
Unfortunately not. As explained in our Return to Learn information, a decision to be virtual or in-person is a semester-long decision. Our virtual platforms (K-12) were never intended for fluid movement back and forth unless deemed medically necessary.
Source: Savannah R3 Return to Learn: https://www.savannahr3.com/o/savannah-r3/page/2020-sr3-return-to-learn
22. Does the County Health Department get their guidelines from the state health department?
Yes.
Source: http://www.andrewcountyhealth.com/
23. We have concerns with kids over 16 dropping out due to lack of support with work if quarantine continues with every potential exposure.
So do we. Our High School staff are very attuned to this issue and it’s a big part of why reaching out to our quarantined students is an expectation of SR3 staff.
24. What is the end game? This cannot go on much longer!
No one wants a normal school setting more than us. We will resume our regularly scheduled programming as soon as it’s safe to do so.
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