Opening Day Message
The day we have waited for since the school closures in March is upon us. Students in the Emmetsburg School District will return to classes tomorrow.. Some will be in person and others will be virtual, but all are restarting their educational careers. The Staff at ECSD has spent hours upon hours working on rearranging rooms and rethinking the way we do business to accomplish two goals.
Bring our kids back to school
Do everything possible to keep them safe and healthy.
These are not two separate aspirations, they are very much intertwined. All of us want to have our kids come back to school and to have as normal of a year as possible. That will not be possible unless we can keep staff and students healthy and safe. Please know that every step we take or every protocol we put in place has those two goals behind it.
Big Ideas for Keeping our Schools Open
Face masks/Coverings.
The virus that closed our schools and has swept across our state and our country spreads mainly from person to person.
Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms.
Two key points to remember are that it is spread through respiratory droplets and that people with no symptoms can be infected and spread the virus. It is because of this that the CDC made the following recommendations:
CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others (source control).
Social Distancing
Social Distancing is another tool that can be used to keep kids healthy, safe, and in school. The CDC recommends the following:
Inside your home: Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
Outside your home: Put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Stay Home When You are Sick
Students or staff members should remain home when sick. Students or Staff with any High Risk Symptom or two or more of the Low Risk Symptoms should stay home and are advised to seek an evaluation by a health care provider.
As stated in the beginning, our goal is twofold, keep kids and staff healthy and to keep kids in school. Our kids lost so much academically, emotionally, socially, and physically starting on March 16th,. They lost their opportunity to attend school with their peers. They lost the opportunity to participate in activities such as sports, band, chorus, speech and many more.
We are asking all to take three simple steps to help prevent our kids from losing again this year.
Wear masks or face coverings when on school grounds. Help your students become comfortable wearing masks by setting the example for them.
Teach your child to Social Distance by modeling when in a public setting
Stay home when you are sick and keep your student home when they are sick
Please join us in striving to bring some normalcy back to our kids by keeping them in school and giving them the opportunity to participate in activities they are so passionate about.
Go E-Hawks
Darren D. Hanna
Superintendent of Schools