MONITORING CORONAVIRUS
Our School District's Response
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has shared important guidance to help administrators of school districts prevent the spread of COVID-19 among students and staff. While there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Plymouth to date, we want to take this opportunity to provide you information about how Plymouth Public Schools is monitoring this issue.
CDC: Review, update, and implement emergency operations plans.
We are currently finishing a "Highly Infectious Disease Preparedness Plan" to share with our Plymouth Schools community. This emergency operations plan is a collaborative effort with several superintendents from South Shore school districts. The purpose of this document is to increase the communication to Plymouth Public Schools staff, students, and families in the event of an outbreak. This detailed emergency operations plan will include, but not be limited to, preventive actions for students and staff, key resources, and a response plan from the district.
CDC: Develop information-sharing systems with partners.
We will continue to communicate and work closely with local and state officials, the Plymouth Board of Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the Massachusetts Department of Education. They remain key partners in information sharing regarding our emergency operation plan.
CDC: Monitor and plan for absenteeism.
We will review the usual absenteeism patterns at our schools among both students and staff, identify critical job functions and positions, and plan for alternative coverage by cross-training staff. We will determine what level of absenteeism will disrupt continuity of teaching and learning, and follow guidelines and working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Education.
CDC: Establish procedures for students and staff who are sick at school.
We have procedures in place to ensure students and staff who become sick at school or arrive at school sick are sent home as soon as possible. The CDC states that schools are not expected to screen students or staff to identify cases of COVID-19. The majority of respiratory illnesses are not COVID-19. If a community (or more specifically, a school) has cases of COVID-19, local health officials will help identify those individuals and will follow up on next steps. We have resources available on our website to help families understand when to keep children home.
CDC: Perform routine environmental cleaning.
Our custodial and maintenance staff routinely clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, countertops) with spray disinfectant cleaners typically used in commercial cleaning applications. The District has also purchased Clorox Total 360 System Electrostatic for future sanitizing. Disposable wipes are available so that commonly used surfaces (e.g., keyboards, desks, remote controls) can be wiped down by students and staff before each use.
CDC: Create communications plans for use with the school community.
Our Media and Communications Specialist works closely with district administration to share information with staff, students, and their families on a continual basis. Please visit our COVID-19 Resources and Updates page on our website.
Plymouth Public Schools
Website: plymouth.k12.ma.us
Location: 11 Lincoln Street, Plymouth, MA, USA
Phone: 508-830-4300
Facebook: facebook.com/plymouthpublicschoolsma
Twitter: @PlymouthSch