Sep 20
9
Parents and Guardians: Prepare for a positive COVID-19 case in a school
link: COVID-19 in KPBSD Web Hub
Dear KPBSD Parents and Guardians,
This letter will help your family prepare should our school district or your school have a COVID-19 event occur. An event could be a positive COVID-19 case, outbreak (two or more positive cases in a school) or exposure to COVID-19 in a school. The health and safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority.
Letter templates for if or when there is positive COVID-19 case exposure or spread in a KPBSD school
KPBSD works closely with local public health officials and they will provide support and direction to manage every COVID-19 related scenario that affects our school communities. If or when a COVID-19 event occurs related to your school, you will receive information via the usual school and district communication methods. Depending upon the situation and response needed by you, the contact may come via a phone call, email, alert, or general notification.
KPBSD honors HIPAA and FERPA privacy laws, so your name and your child’s name will not be revealed by the school, unless you give the school permission to do so. A dedicated webpage at KPBSD.org is where to find the most up to date information.
If your child receives a positive COVID-19 test result, and they have been at school two days prior to the onset of symptoms, or the testing date that resulted in a positive test result, it will be helpful to begin contact tracing at their school immediately. So, we need your help when you learn of a positive COVID-19 test result for your child. Call Nurse Iris, KPBSD Nursing Supervisor to confidentially report a positive COVID-19 test result. You can reach her at 907-260-2391, IWertz@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. Alternately, call your school nurse or administrator.
It
is important for everyone in our community to protect themselves against the
remarkably contagious novel coronavirus. These are some ways to protect your
family:
- Symptom Free School
Protocol:
keep children who are sick at home—do not send them to school
- Teach your children to
wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, and set a good example by doing
this yourself
- Teach children to cover
coughs and sneezes with a tissue or by coughing into the inside of their elbow,
Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself
- Time and distance:
teach your children to protect your family bubble or their school cohort, and
practice physical distancing of about six feet away from others
- Mask up with a cloth face covering when appropriate, especially indoors in crowded public places, on the school bus, and in school hallways. Grades 3 and older in the KPBSD wear a mask at school when six foot physical distancing is not possible
When you have COVID-19 related questions, contact your school nurse, healthcare provider, local public health department, or visit the state DHSS or national CDC websites. You can find specific information for the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District on our dedicated COVID-19 in KPBSD Hub webpage that includes communication updates, safety protocols, 2020 Smart Start Plan, sports and activities, risk levels on the Kenai Peninsula, and the COVID19 Confirmed Case in School Response Matrix. Your school is always available to help, or you can reach out to the school district COVID-19 line at 907-714-8864, email covid19@kpbsd.org, or visit covid19.kpbsd.org.
This year will require adaption, a flexible mindset, and we will get through this with both challenges and blessings. We promise to communicate often, be proactive and swiftly reactive when necessary, even when we do not have all the answers. Superintendent John O’Brien reminds us, “We will focus on and provide for the social, emotional, and mental health needs of our students, staff, parents, and community. I have no doubt that together we will not only get through this new school year but will also hopefully become more resilient and empathetic to the needs of others.”
