2/27/22

2/27/22

Good Afternoon Jonathan Valley Families,

This message contains information about Bus #45, early dismissal March 4, and updated COVID protocols.

Mrs. Nikki, Bus 45’s driver, will be moving to TN.  Friday was her last day.  Beginning this week, we will have a bus substitute on Bus 45 until a new driver begins.  Please be patient as we do our best to get all students home safely.  Please remember to give your child’s bus 10 minutes on the front end and back end of their regular bus time.  For example, if your child’s bus usually arrives at 3:30, please plan to be at the bus stop by 3:20 and wait until 3:40.  Sometimes, unforeseen things cause the bus schedule to fluctuate, such as traffic, students not riding, or students added to the route, as well as other events.  If you know someone that would be interested in being a bus substitute give us a call.  

Friday, March 4th, will be a 12:30 dismissal for all students.  This early dismissal was scheduled to allow elementary teachers to work on the Science of Reading training required by the NC Department  of Public Instruction.  The Science of Reading professional development is happening over a two year span of time – this school year and next school year – and involves a minimum of 56 hours of live virtual training after school from 3:30-6:30 over 16 days, and independent readings and virtual assignments. No extra time was built in for  the elementary teachers to do this training. so, these two early dismissals are an attempt to give them at least a few hours to work on this training.

With masks now being optional for students and staff and contact tracing at school ending on January 21st per the Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit, some other Covid protocols have also changed.  This means staff and students will not have to quarantine following a close contact with a positive. We recommend that staff and students monitor for symptoms and stay at home if symptoms develop.

If the child is sick, he/she stays home until they are no longer sick. If there is a fever or vomiting, he/she should be free of that for 24 hours without medicine before returning to school. A student no longer has to stay at home just because someone else (sibling, parent, etc.) in the house is having symptoms.***

The school nurse is no longer the person who discusses quarantine times with the parents; that is now determined by the school. The role of the school nurse is back to what it was pre-Covid, seeing sick or injured kids at school and assessing to see if they need to go home. Nurse Tammy will still work with our administrators and help with Covid issues but the decisions and follow through will come from the school.  If your child tests positive for COVID please let their classroom teacher know what the date of your child’s first symptom was and the date of their positive COVID test.  There are two options.  Your child may stay home for 5 days, and return to school, but will be required to wear a mask inside / outside for days 6-10, or your child may stay home for 10 days.  Your child’s teacher will let office staff know, and a return date for your child will be sent to the teacher as soon as possible to let you know what day your child may return to school.  

At this time masks are still required on buses.

Enjoy the rest of your evening, and give us a call if you have any questions.

https://www.haywood.k12.nc.us/blog/2022/02/15/haywood-county-school-board-mask-decision/