Dear LV Parents:
I know that many of you have been anxiously awaiting information about the upcoming school year. I have been working all spring and summer with the other Licking County school district superintendents and Chad Brown, Commissioner of the Licking County Health Department (LCHD), to develop school opening requirements amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The school attendance requirements I am sharing with you is the product of that work, and they are directly aligned to the LCHD guidelines for schools.
We know that there are varying levels of concern among individuals and certainly varying circumstances. Some of your children have health issues that make you legitimately concerned with them getting COVID. Some of you, the parents, have health issues that cause you the same concern, or have relatives you care for who should not be exposed to COVID. We appreciate and respect all of those concerns and others we cannot even imagine. This is why you will see in the information below that you have choices so that you can do what you think is best for your child(ren) and family during the pandemic. Whichever choice you make we will respect, and we will do our very best to educate your child to the best of our ability.
Whether you choose in-person education in our buildings or the remote learning option school will begin on our adopted calendar and schedule, we are NOT, as some districts are, delaying the start of school for students by a few days. The first day for students is Wednesday, August 19. You will find the school calendar here: http://www.lickingvalley.k12.oh.us/Downloads/202021CompositeCalendar.pdf
I cannot possibly anticipate all of your questions so I am not going to try. Please read the requirements below and if you have questions about the requirements shared below send me an email and I will do my best to respond. If you have questions specific to your child’s school, email your building principal. I have created a parent FAQ Google document here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KXMu50tWEt4DCQ-T9uIY_KLz0u4ITKjXiG74LiI3HCg/edit?usp=sharing
I will post your questions and my answers here so that you can see what others are asking.
Sincerely,
David Hile, Ed.D.,
Superintendent, LVLS
[email protected]
Licking Valley Local Schools School Opening Requirements for Fall 2020
Student Health Issues
- Parents are expected to adhere to all recommended health checks prior to each school day. In other words, parents must, before sending their students to school, take their temperature and assess them for any symptoms of illness.
- Any student with a temperature of 100.4 or higher shall remain home or will be sent home.
- The duration of homestay for a child with a fever of 100.4 or higher is fever free (without medication) for 72 hours (three full days) and improvement of all other symptoms for 72 hours.
- Temperature will be checked upon return.
- If a student tests positive for COVID-19, upon order of the Licking County Health Department (LCHD), they and their family will be quarantined for 14 days. The LCHD will perform all contract tracing.
- To return to school, the child must be transported to school by the parent, both parent and student must enter the building wearing a face covering, and the student must be checked by the school nurse prior to being granted readmission to school.
Communications - Confirmed COVID 19 Positive
- If a school has a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a student or staff member, the individual will be quarantined in accordance with CDC guidance.
- LCHD will work with the school administration to determine the best communication strategy to communicate the case to the staff, parents, and public.
- All confirmed COVID-19 cases will receive an isolation order from the LCHD.
- As of now, 1 case of COVID-19 in a school building will not prompt an immediate shutdown, but the school district and the LCHD will monitor the situation going forward.