HRSD HIGHLIGHTS
November 5, 2021
DISTRICT TIDBITS TO KEEP YOU IN THE LOOP
Upcoming dates to keep in mind for the next two weeks:
- November 9: WES School Committee 6 pm
- November 10: Norris School Committee 6 pm
- November 11: Veterans Day (no school)
- November 15: ATD Negotiations 5 pm (via Zoom)
- November 16: 5 Districts' Agreement Working Group: Supt. evaluations 5 pm (via Zoom)
- November 17: ATD School Committee 5 pm
COVID Testing:
Our district was paired with a testing program coordinator this week, Colleen Smith. Colleen has been working to implement COVID testing in Springfield Public Schools so she comes to us with the experience and knowledge to help move us forward with our testing program. She has had initial conversations with our Nurse Leader, Stephanie Faas, and will visit ATD, WES, and Norris next week to plan logistics with nursing and administration. We anticipate weekly COVID safety checks (pooled testing) starting at these 3 schools the week of November 15th, and will be in touch with staff and families as a date is confirmed. Consent can be completed for staff and students at https://www.cic-health.com/consent/ma?district=Hampshire. Please make sure to choose the appropriate school from the drop-down menu.
Roughly half of all districts in Massachusetts are participating in some form of student safety checks (symptomatic, test and stay, pooled testing). To date, over 85,000 students have participated in test and stay throughout the state, and less than 1% have been positive. That means that over 84,000 students attended school instead of being quarantined as close contacts during the last two months.
COVID NUMBERS IN REVIEW:
Please continue to be vigilant and follow all safety protocols. If you are not feeling well, please stay home.
Another week, another 1,000 less cases throughout the state. Hampshire County rates remain stable with Amherst, Easthampton and Northampton slightly increasing in case counts while Westfield's finally decreased. Williamsburg, Chesterfield, Goshen and Worthington have five or fewer cases over the past 14 days. Westampton had 6 cases and Southampton 16.
For additional town data pertaining to Covid-19, please use the link below:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY SCHOOL:
Chesterfield-Goshen:
We had one new confirmed positive case within the New Hingham Regional School community this week. This individual had already been quarantined as they were deemed a close contact to a previous case so they were not in the school building while potentially infectious. Of the five cases previously reported in the PK programs, two individuals remain in isolation and the other three have completed isolation appropriately. The PK programs were able to open up to all individuals that had tested negative on Thursday, 11/4. Three close contacts remain quarantined at this time.
Williamsburg:
We did not have any new confirmed positive cases in the Anne T. Dunphy School community this week.
Southampton:
We had one new confirmed positive case in the Norris School community this week. This individual had been in school while potentially infectious. Four close contacts have been identified, and are quarantined appropriately. One of the cases we communicated about last week has completed isolation appropriately, and all close contacts have completed quarantine appropriately. The other positive case from last week remains in isolation. Four of the six close contacts identified to that individual have tested negative and have been released from quarantine by the BOH contact tracer. The other two remain quarantined appropriately.
Westhampton:
We did not have any new confirmed positive cases in the Westhampton Elementary School community this week. All five of the positive individuals that we communicated about the past two weeks have been released from isolation, and the close contact to one of our positive cases last week has tested negative and completed quarantine appropriately.
Hampshire Regional:
We had three new confirmed positive cases in the HRHS School community this week. One of these individuals had one close contact in the school community identified, though it is important to note they were exposed outside of school. The positive individuals we communicated about last week have completed isolation, and have been released by the BOH contact tracer.
HRHS Student Vaccination Update (# of students fully vaccinated by grade):
Grade 7: 84 students, 67.74%
Grade 8: 88 students, 67.18 %
Grade 9: 68 students, 66.02%
Grade 10: 73 students, 75.26%
Grade 11: 77 students, 77.78%
Grade 12+: 98 students, 76.56%
TOTAL= 488 students, 71.55%
COVID VACCINATION CLINICS
As you may already know, COVID-19 vaccinations have been approved for children ages 5 to 11 years old. To make vaccination more easily accessible, we will be hosting 3 upcoming clinics for our community! These clinics are open to the entire district. Your child can go to any school to receive their vaccination.
Please note that you MUST register at the links below for an appt. Walk-ins will not be allowed.
DPH "VAX BUS" Clinics:
- November 16th from 3-7pm at Anne T Dunphy (Williamsburg)
https://williamsburg-1116.youcanbook.me/
- November 18th from 3-7pm at William E Norris (Southampton)
https://southampton-1118.youcanbook.me/
*These clinics will have Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J available. Staff and other community members can receive 1st, 2nd, and booster doses here as well.
Northampton Health Dept & Hilltown Community Health Center Clinic:
- November 17th from 4-6pm at HRHS (Westhampton)
*THIS CLINIC IS ONLY FOR 5-11 YEAR OLDS! We are still awaiting a sign up link, and will share it with the community as soon as it becomes available from the Health Dept.
We encourage you to speak to your child's doctor and raise any questions or concerns you have about the vaccine and your child.
Resources:
American Academy of Pediatrics
CDC
Healthy Children
Pediatric Experts Discuss Kids & COVID Vaccine (Recording approx. 1hour)
C.S. Mott Children's Hospital (University of Michigan)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7yEB0hVH3M&t=31s
Workshop (hosted by Northampton Area Pediatrics)
NAP is hosting a Zoom webinar THIS SUNDAY, November 7th at 4:00 pm entitled “All things COVID”. Please attend if you have any questions about COVID or the vaccine. Drs. Schwab, Deschene and Everett will be hosting this Zoom event. This is open to the public. You child does not have to be seen at NAP to attend.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83551958495?pwd=MzBXd0tiTEk4WXdQQm1icGQxVzU3UT09
Meeting ID: 835 5195 8495 - Passcode: 925698