Dear Families,
As you are likely aware, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State Department of Health and other state and local health departments continue to respond to an outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in the US.
As the CDC emphasized, there is not currently a coronavirus pandemic in the United States. A pandemic occurs when a disease is spreading from a variety of sources across a large region, and the number of cases across the US is still small. However, given how quickly the global situation is evolving, we are monitoring new developments and will continue to reevaluate our steps and actions daily.
The complete clinical picture with regard to the coronavirus is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. Fortunately,
infection among children has been relatively uncommon
. There are ongoing investigations to learn more. This is a rapidly evolving situation and we will continue to send updated information as it becomes available.
We would like to share with you some of the steps our school is taking to prevent the spread of illness across our campus, and plan for the possible spread of coronavirus in our community.
At Hawthorne Valley, we have already implemented extra steps to prevent the spread of germs and infection. These steps include:
- Asking all faculty, staff, and students who are feeling ill to stay home until they recover.
- Teaching and reminding students to wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. All classrooms are equipped with hand sinks and soap that can be used as needed throughout the day.
- Developing a plan of action to disinfect and clean classrooms throughout the day and in the evening including sanitizing door handles and cleaning all surfaces thoroughly.
- Encouraging healthy behaviors for optimal immune function like eating a balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables, getting adequate sleep, reducing stress and sugar, and finding healthy rhythms throughout your day.
If students are sent home sick, the school nurse will follow up with parents as to the nature of their illness. We are counting on parents to partner with us as we will send children home if they exhibit signs of illness including excessive coughing, sneezing, or fever. Please keep your children home until they have been fever free for at least 24 hours.
Our community is prepared to alter our procedures and planning should the situation change, including creative schooling strategies if faced with school closure. We are also thinking ahead regarding the impact of spring travel, upcoming school trips, and other non-typical school activities will have in the context of coronavirus. We are regularly checking travel restrictions and will communicate any changes affirmatively when the time is appropriate.If you are travelling please check the
CDC Travel website
and the
US Department of State website
to ensure a safe experience for your family.
It is important to remember that handling the spread of a serious contagion like the coronavirus is primarily a task for public health agencies. Any directives from the World Health Organization, CDC, or local governmental organizations should be followed.
Here are some resources you may find helpful:
In times like this, we are particularly grateful for the strength and togetherness of this community.
Take good care,
Kara Desiderio Michael Frosch
School Nurse School Director
