Board Meeting September 27, 2021

Due to the Clay County Tiger Football game tonight, Monday, September 27, 2021, the board meeting will begin at 5:30 PM.

Parents and Families:

Beginning Tuesday, August 10, 2021, all Clay County Public School students and staff will be required to wear a mask at school and on school buses. If your student does not have a mask, one will be provided. This decision was made in order for students to remain in school for in-person instruction.

As we have possible exposures and quarantines for our students and staff, we want to be transparent while protecting our staff and students’ confidentiality. We will follow CDC guidelines for contact tracing, quarantines, and isolations. If a child is directly exposed to COVID -19 and has not been vaccinated, then he/she will be quarantined for 10 days. If, by day 5, there are no symptoms, then he/she can take a COVID test and be released on day 7 if negative. If a student lives in a house with a person that is positive for COVID, the quarantine may be longer. Students who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 10 days and be fever/symptom free for 24 hours without medication prior to returning. Students who are exposed and have had a vaccination may not need to quarantine. We will follow the local health departments’ advice. Rather than putting out general statements, if your child has been exposed, the school will contact you directly with recommendations from the health department.  We will continue to be cautious and follow our mitigation strategies, but we ask that you please not send a child to school that has been exposed or that has symptoms. Please make sure that we have correct contact information on file for your child. By working together, we can continue in person learning and keep our students and staff safe.

Clay County Public Schools

CCPS School Re-Opening Plan for 2021-2022 School Year

Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services

Opening Day: Monday, August 2, 2021

First Student Attendance Day: Thursday, August 5, 2021

Parents and Guardians, I know many of you are anxious about plans to return to school. School will open August 5, 2021. It is our plan to open school as close to normal as possible. It is our goal for students to return to and remain in an in-person instruction setting this year. Below is the framework that will guide our school reopening plan. This information is in accordance with local, state and Kentucky Department of Education health guidelines.

Instruction

 - Instruction will be in-person. Classroom instruction will be delivered using evidence-based practices and programs serving student’s best academic interest.

- Full-time virtual instruction will not be available to students, unless a medical excuse is presented; at that time, the student may be assigned to Homebound instruction.

- Daily school operations along with extra-curricular and co-curricular programming will be implemented in student’s best interest.

Transportation

 - Symptom screenings will be performed by parents/ guardians at home before students enter the bus.

 - Students and staff are required to wear a mask while riding a school bus. Distancing of 3 feet is recommended if possible without interfering with bus routing. (Students on buses when applicable will sit with siblings/family groups).

-Provisions will be made for students who board the bus without a mask or do not have the resources to obtain one.

-A driver does not need to wear a mask if they are the only person on the bus.

 School Building

- Students and staff are not required to wear a mask, but it is highly recommended.

 - Staff and students will continually monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

 - Staff and students will report to the nurse immediately if feeling symptomatic.

 - All high-touch surfaces will be disinfected regularly throughout the day.

- Recommended that staff and students will sanitize or wash their hands frequently.

- Hand sanitizer will be available in all common areas, hallways, and classrooms.

 - Classrooms and common areas will be ventilated with additional outdoor air when possible, using windows and doors.

 - Non-essential visitors will not be permitted on campuses.

 Cafeteria

- Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Lunch and breakfast will be prepared and served by lunchroom staff. We will eat lunch as usual, they can face each other. Students will be spaced out to the extent possible or practicable.

 - If a school chooses not to use a cafeteria, students will eat in their classrooms.

 - Staff will disinfect all eating areas after students are finished eating.

- School water fountains are open and available for use

Recess

- School playground equipment is open and available for use

-Social distancing will be practiced to the extent practicable

 Restrooms

 - Restrooms will be disinfected regularly.

 - Restrooms will be monitored to avoid overcrowding.

Healthy at School Practices

-Parents are asked to screen their child for COVID-19 symptoms prior to attending school each day. Students with a temperature of 100.4 or higher should remain home and parents/guardians should contact their child's school. Students should be symptom-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication before returning to school.

-Students will be encouraged to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer will be available throughout school facilities. 

-The district will continue to encourage good hygiene practices such as hand washing, sanitizing, and covering coughs and sneezes. 

-School nurse services are available at all Clay County schools

COVID-19 Vaccine

-Students are NOT REQUIRED to be vaccinated to attend school

-Students age 12 and older and their families are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine

-Staff are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine

Positive COVID-19 Cases/Quarantine/Contact Tracing

-Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 should follow the quarantine directions of the local health department or healthcare provider.

-We will work with Clay County Health Department to facilitate case investigation and contact tracing.

-Fully vaccinated students and staff do not need to quarantine unless they have tested positive.

Our goal is to maintain a traditional in-person instructional model. Please understand if we receive government mandates then our plans will change. Our school administration and teachers are working diligently to meet the needs of our students. I ask for your patience as we continue to prepare for the opening of school.