Letter to Parents - 9.23.2020
APS Families,
I am writing today to provide some recent developments and updates regarding COVID-19 and our Districts’ calendar and attendance practices.
Over the past few weeks we have experienced a decline in positive cases of COVID-19 in our immediate area. Our rates are currently about half of what they were when the District decided to move to the A/B schedule. These recent trends have allowed us to begin to reconsider our school schedule.
On September 21st, a new Directed Health Measure (DHM) from the Governor’s Office was released. The new DHM has significant differences from all previous DHMs. Many of the changes are due to the ever evolving understanding of the virus. You can view the the latest Directed Health Measure at: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Documents/SEHD-DHM-September21.pdf
A summary of the changes are as follows (and can be found on page 11 of the entire document or noted as the second page 5):
1. A student that is at an outdoor extracurricular event that is exposed to someone who is positive no longer must quarantine. They may attend school but self monitor. The positive student must quarantine.
2. A student at an indoor extracurricular event that is exposed to a positive person may or may not have to quarantine. The decision will be determined by our Health Department and the contact tracing protocols of the Health Department where the event took place (which include length of time inside 6 feet from the positive student). The positive student must quarantine.
3. A student that is in a classroom where ALL students are wearing mask that comes into contact with a positive person will not need to quarantine. The student may attend school and must self monitor for symptoms. The positive student must quarantine.
4. A student that is in contact with a positive case and the positive case is not wearing a mask, both the positive student and those that meet the contact tracing guidelines must quarantine.
5. A student that is in contact with a positive case and the positive case is masked but the others are not, the positive person must quarantine and any student not masked that meets the contact tracing guidelines must quarantine. All other persons do not need to quarantine.
6. A student that is in contact with a positive person, and nobody is wearing masks, then everyone that meets the contact tracing guidelines must quarantine.
With this new DHM information in mind, and because of the recent and continued decreases in positive cases in our immediate area, Auburn Public Schools will return to all students in attendance beginning Monday, September 28th. We will continue the same practices that were in place prior to the A/B schedule. All students and staff must wear face coverings while in the classroom or inside a school building. We encourage our patrons and spectators to wear face coverings while attending school sponsored events. We will continue with the practice to limit spectators at District events and activities to 6 people per participant. Practices and protocols to help support the new DHM are being developed at this time to help ensure the safety and well-being of all our students and staff. We will remain in full face-to-face instruction so long as the indicators of the virus allows.
We understand that this can be a confusing and often frustrating time. It is for all of us. The information continues to evolve and we continue to assess how to best react to the information in such a way to ensure the safety and well-being for all our students and staff; while providing as much of a traditional educational experience for everyone.
Please feel free to contact your teacher, building administrator or the Central Office if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you again for all your support during this time.
David Patton
Superintendent