Important Message from Dr. Cain
March 15, 2020 ~ To all WSD Staff
Good Evening,
Thank you for your efforts and cooperation over the past week as we have all experienced increased urgency with a rapidly evolving and unprecedented domestic and global situation concerning COVID-19. After meeting with other local superintendents and the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, it was decided today that the Wentzville School District will close beginning Monday, March 16, 2020 through April 3, 2020. The goal of the timing and length of this closure is to proactively decelerate the transmission of this virus by limiting contact among individuals for a length of time that could potentially have a similar impact to a quarantine.
We want to assure you that staff, student, and community well-being are the focus of all of our planning and decision-making. We have a responsibility to our community and a shared responsibility to educate our students, but we also know that all decisions will have both beneficial and adverse effects on staff and students. During closure and beyond, please use the Frequently Asked Questions (Employee FAQ) resource as guidance, but please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer Hecktor and Pam Glidewell in Human Resources as individual questions or concerns arise.
During the days of emergency closure (March 16-20 and March 30-April 3), all District employees will be paid without using accrued leave. We are fortunate that our Spring Break is in the midst of these emergency closure dates. During the District’s Spring Break, employees who normally work during Spring Break may be directed to go to specific locations for response activities, work from the office or from home, or continue activities needed to ensure the health and safety of students and staff beyond a potential closure. Employees who normally do not work during Spring Break will not work nor be paid for those days. Critical personnel (custodial and maintenance) may be required to report to work to continue deep-cleaning efforts at various times throughout District closure. Additional information will be sent to our teachers about plans to facilitate learning opportunities for students during the closure.
We will be alerting those essential employees who need to report to work. Please check your email daily. This is not a time to report to work if you are currently sick. If you are experiencing flu-like or coronavirus symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath), please stay home and consult a physician.
We also ask that employees continuously review CDC travel guidelines. If you have been to a location or in areas with widespread ongoing community transmission of COVID-19, you are asked to alert the Human Resources Office and contact the St. Charles County Department of Public Health for guidance. They can be reached at 636-949-1899 or by email at health@sccmo.org. Documentation of “clearance” may be required to return to work.
Student and Family Care during District Closure
One of the main concerns about closures of schools is that schools are the foundation of support for many families beyond academics. As our community navigates the coming weeks of school closures, please be aware of how you and the District can be socially present for families. Administrators will be meeting to develop plans to care for employees, students, and families during the District closure. If you have concerns, questions, or ideas regarding how families in our community can continue to be supported, please share these with Cheri Thurman and Jeri LaBrot.
In the meantime, please follow the advice of our health officials: Practice proper handwashing and social distancing, but also be mindful that our children look to us for guidance. Model calm and help reassure them that the adults in their lives are doing everything in their power to keep them safe. Thank you for all you do as members of the WSD team. Working together we will get through this challenging time.
Curtis Cain, Ph.D.
Superintendent