Common Ground Family,

I hope you are enjoying the snow today, and staying bundled and masked up if you plan to make snow people or clear blocked pathways. 

In preparation for our return to school on Monday, below is another very important update that I urge you to read carefully. (If you missed it, please also read this important message about reopening and safety!)

As shared in earlier communications this week, the most recent guidance from the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), Department of Health, and CDC has directed schools to focus their attention and resources to COVID-19 symptom screening. In line with these recommendations, CGHS has adopted a symptom tracker to allow members of our community to report symptoms as soon as they arise. We ask that you assess yourself daily, review the list of symptoms, and complete the tracker whenever you exhibit one of these symptoms. The school nurse will be reviewing this list actively and will prioritize cases to contact for isolation.

It is important to note that many COVID-19 symptoms can be quite mild especially among fully vaccinated and boostered individuals. While you may believe your symptoms are “just a cold,” with a high community positivity rate, it could very well be COVID-19. Tracking of symptoms and when they decline will be our primary way of determining quarantine periods and returning to school after an illness. 

Signage will be posted throughout our campus with QR codes that will take you to the symptom tracker. You can also find it on our website. Frequent placement is designed to have you complete the form as soon as symptoms arise, regardless of your location. 

We hope that with such a high COVID-19 positivity rate right now, a substantial decline will occur in a few weeks. Until then, with your support, we hope to continue experiencing a low rate of in-school transmission and uninterrupted in-person learning.

Thank you for your support and stay safe (Stay masked, wash hands, get vaccinated or boosted!)

Sincerely,

Cherry Pacquette-Emmanuel & Keith Riley

School Director & School Nurse