CTHS News
November 2, 2020
11/4 School Re-opening Message (Repeat)
Dear CTHS Families,
Since October 17, CTHS has been notified of multiple positive COVID cases which resulted in a continued school building closure. At this time, Mat-Su Public Health continues to work through their contact tracing process and close contacts are being notified by Public Health and/or the CTHS school nurse.
School will resume on Wednesday, November 4th for all students and staff who are not identified as a close contact or a positive case.
The primary criteria for keeping schools open is each school community’s case rate and the capacity for completing contact tracing in a timely manner to exclude close contacts. Providing we can continue to keep pace with new cases, we are optimistic schools can remain open. In the event of unusually high case rates similar to what occurred at Career and Technical High, Wasilla High & Colony High Schools, schools may experience a prolonged short term closure (i.e. two weeks). Our best strategy for keeping schools open is to stay home when observing symptoms and following mitigation practices: physical distancing, hand hygiene, and wearing masks.
As we return to school, Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Anne Zink reminds Mat-Su families “Let’s all work together to keep our kids in school, and step up our collective prevention efforts”.
Avoid the 3 C’s
Closed spaces
Crowded places
Close contact situations
Do the 3 W’s
Wear a mask
Wash your hands
Watch your space
These preventive measures are done best when they are done together. It is also important to get tested at the start of any new onset of symptoms.”
Please review the District’s Keeping Students Safe & Schools Open flyer and continue to monitor your child for symptoms before the start of school each day. For any questions, please contact our front office at (907) 352-0400.
Mr. Ross
CTHS Nurse Updates
We all have the power to reduce COVID-19 transmission and bring down the curve in our community and our schools. The Matanuska Valley is in a critical juncture with high community spread of COVID-19, with our numbers spiking as of recently. We all need to renew our mitigation efforts, no matter how exhausting, by increasing our efforts to practice physical distancing (avoid closed spaces, crowded places, and close contacts), hand washing/sanitizing, and mask wearing. These preventative measures are most effective when we all do them collectively.
Please see below reminders:
· Continue to monitor your student daily for symptoms of COVID-19
· Keep your student home if they are sick at the onset of any symptom(s) of COVID-19
· Get tested for COVID-19 at the start of any new onset of symptoms (even if symptoms are mild) or contact your medical provider.
· Follow the District’s Keeping Students Safe & Schools Open if your child is sick.
· If your student tests positive for COVID-19, please call the school as soon as you know (Your child’s information will be kept confidential).
· Notify your close contacts, if you test positive, to quarantine for 14 days from the time you were last together. Close contact defined as anyone within 6 feet of you for 15 minutes or longer (cumulative) starting the 2 days prior to when your symptoms started, or when you were tested, whichever is earlier.
· If your child is a close contact to someone with COVID-19, stay home, monitor for symptoms, and quarantine for 14 days after their last close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Families should consider testing seven (7) days after exposure, or if symptoms develop. A negative test will not reduce the time of an individual’s quarantine.
· You are released from quarantine (if you have been identified as a close contact) and can return to school, when……you have developed no symptoms of COVID-19 during your 14 day quarantine period and if you tested negative for COVID-19 (if you chose to get the recommended test during your quarantine period).
· Stay informed by visiting DHSS COVID-19 in Alaska
· Review the new flyer from DHSS What to do after your COVID-19 test
By following these protective guidelines, we can all work together to bring down our COVID-19 numbers in schools and within our community. The main goal is safety and to assist in keeping our schools open. This is a goal that we must all strive to achieve together. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me. I am always happy to help assist your student and family.
In Health,
Sonja Mack, RN
CTHS School Nurse
907-352-0417
Reminder: There is no Professional dress while we are operating in a "yellow" status.
Parent Teacher Conference Reminder
Parent Club for Mat-Su Career & Technical High School
Girls Who Code
Come join CTHS Girls Who Code club! Girls Who Code is an organization that values diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential to our mission. No computer science experience is necessary. We can hold meetings through Zoom and we have remote learning activities/projects too. Email Ms. Whitehurst theresa.whitehurst@matsuk12.us or call Ms. Whitehurst at 907-352-0429 if you are interested.
the asvab test has been rescheduled for december 11.
Business Professionals of America (BPA) Chapter News
Our CTHS BPA Chapter will hold a membership meeting on Monday, November 9 from 2:00-3:30 pm in room 222. Any CTHS student is welcome to attend.
In addition, our chapter is providing free membership to the first 40 students to turn in completed membership applications. Students can stop by room 222 and get an application from Mrs. Riddle.
Websites with more information:
CTHS BPA Chapter: https://www.matsuk12.us/domain/2774
National BPA: https://bpa.org