Ashland School District
Inspiring Learning for Life
Superintendent Message: Omicron Guidance and Precautions
Ashland School District
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Email: Jacqueline.Schad@ashland.k12.or.us
Website: ashland.k12.or.us
Location: 885 Siskiyou Boulevard, Ashland, OR, USA
Phone: (541) 482-2811
Facebook: facebook.com/ashlandpublicschools/
Superintendent Smore Newsletters: https://www.smore.com/
In this newsletter
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Superintendent Message: Omicron guidance and precautions
- Beginning January 10 – Important Changes to Extracurricular Activities and Athletics
- PARENTS – GUARDIANS: Preparedness for a severe Omicron outbreak
- Safety Layers – Keeping Kids Healthy
- Changes in quarantine guidance
Superintendent Message: Omicron Guidance and Precautions
Ashland Families, Students and Community Members,
This week, the Oregon Department of Education issued revised guidance to school districts based on the state’s modelling of the Omicron variant. The state modelling is predicting rapid spread with a peak number of cases in late January. Actual numbers are increasing across the state and Jackson County.
The state made specific recommendations for districts to support continued in-person instruction by limiting the spread of Omicron. If there is significant spread among students or staff, the state is concerned that districts may need to return to distance learning for a period of time. You can read the full text of the state recommendations here.
Specific recommendations include:
- Cancelling activities where the District cannot reasonably ensure compliance with safety measures.
- Expanding safety measures to extracurricular activities and athletics.
- Continuing the current safety measures during the school day.
Information on how the Ashland School District is responding can be found below. There are detailed descriptions about:
- Changes to our extra-curricular activities
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Parent/guardian preparedness for a severe Omicron outbreak
- Safety measures we are taking
- Changes in quarantine guidance
Please reach out to your school principal or Christine McCollom if you have questions. Thank you for all you do to make our schools great places to connect and learn.
Samuel
Samuel Bogdanove
Superintendent
Ashland Public Schools
Pronouns: He, Him, His
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETICS
Extra-curricular activities, events and athletics are important aspects of our students’ education and development. We are working to continue extra-curricular activities and athletics safely while working to assure on-campus learning. We are closely monitoring active cases in Jackson County and the school community as we make decisions.
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS: Extra-curricular activities and athletics participation may increase the risk of omicron transmission. Parents and guardians should consider their child’s risk, the potential impact of the illness and potential loss of instruction when deciding to participate in an extracurricular or athletic program.
BEGINNING JANUARY 10
- All student athletes and staff must wear a face-mask at all times except during competition.
- Spectators will be limited to parents of seniors unless otherwise noted for a specific event. Spectators are required to use masks and will be asked to leave an event if they choose not to wear a mask.
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Access to locker rooms will be limited.
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No overnight travel for athletic competitions or performances.
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Concession stands will not be open at extracurricular activities or games
- Families of students participating in extracurricular activities should understand that there is increased risk involved in those activities, particularly any time students are unmasked as described above.
We will watch our state, county, and district case numbers to determine if any additional precautions are needed. If we are seeing a spike or steady rise in cases, it may be necessary to suspend some of our highest risk extracurricular activities until we see our numbers go down.
PARENT – GUARDIAN PREPAREDNESS FOR A SEVERE OMICRON OUTBREAK
Oregon data and our own District data show that schools are highly effective at reducing COVID transmission. If there is a severe Omicron outbreak, schools may need to revert to distance learning on short notice. Parents and guardians should prepare for this possibility to assure proper supervision.
Schools rely on staff. If there is a severe outbreak among staff, it may not be possible to bring students on-site. There is a valley-wide shortage of qualified substitutes in all areas including instruction, custodial, IT, maintenance, transportation and nutrition services. Additionally, if there is a significant number of students home due to illness or quarantine, a site or classroom may need to close temporarily for a short period of time.
In the event that we have a large student or staff outbreak at a specific site that would require us to move to virtual instruction for a long period of time, we have the technological capacity to do so within a few days in most cases.
For COVID news and safety, and a Q and A on Short Term Distance Learning, click here.
We have been able to maintain in-person instruction without interruption this school year, and are hopeful that with vigilant attention to our safety strategies, we will be able to remain in person for the rest of the school year.
What can parents/guardians do right now?
- Provide your child with KN95 rated masks. KN95 masks provide a significantly higher level of filtration than cloth masks and help to reduce transmission.
- Vaccinate your child. Vaccination provides strong protection against severe COVID aand hospitalization. Vaccinated students may have shorter or no quarantine periods unless they are symptomatic.
SAFETY LAYERS – KEEPING KIDS HEALTHY
Throughout the pandemic, the Ashland School District has taken student and staff health and safety very seriously. We have used some of the most cautious precautions in the region and have had fewer cases and more time in school as a result. We post our student and staff cases and exposures, as well as our safety protocols on our website here: https://www.ashland.k12.or.us/page/coronavirus-covid-19-response
The safety layers we have in place during the school day are:
- All staff that work with students have completed the first series of vaccinations
- Encouraging all eligible students to get vaccinated, including hosting vaccination clinics
- Masks are worn on campus by all, except when actively eating or drinking
- 3 foot distancing is maintained whenever possible between students
- 6 foot distancing is maintained whenever possible between students and staff, and between all individuals when masks are off for eating
- Frequent hand washing and sanitizing
- Increased filtration measures in classroom spaces
- Students and staff have the option to participate in free weekly asymptomatic testing programs
- Rapid testing for students and staff who become symptomatic while at school
- No student or staff experiencing symptoms may remain at school
- Large group events such as open house or curriculum nights are held on line
- Limited volunteer opportunities - six foot distancing must be able to be maintained, and volunteers must be vaccinated and masked
CHANGES IN QUARANTINE GUIDANCE
Recently, the quarantine guidelines have changed. The great news is if a person tests positive for Covid, their quarantine is reduced to 5 days as long as they remain fever free and without other symptoms for at least 24 hours. Upon their return they have the additional requirement of wearing a surgical or KN95 mask for 5 days following quarantine. This means that students who have been exposed will miss fewer days of school!