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COVID Updates and Welcome to Winter Break

December 23, 2021

Good Afternoon,

Welcome to the break!  We hope you enjoy the slower pace and time together.

You are not surprised to hear that we are seeing a marked uptick in COVID cases.  This week, we have had a total of 31 cases so far with 10 of those coming today.  The COVID Data Dashboard is live and will be continually updated throughout the vacation week.  Expecting January will bring further spikes in cases, we are revisiting our protocols to be proactive:

  • Return to 3′ distance in classrooms where possible with students not facing each other
  • Restrict access to school to those exposed to a positive case in their homes regardless of vaccination status (staff and students)
  • Return to wiping of desks regularly and in between classes at CMS and CCHS

Other measures can have significant impact on our school environment as well.

  • Participate in pool testing.  It is an enormous resource that can assist us in managing the surge.  If you have not given consent to test your child, you can do so at any time:  Electronic Consent Form
  • Symptomatic individuals should stay home until a negative PCR is received and symptoms subside.

Our goal is to have as little disruption as possible to normal school schedules which is why pooled testing and staying home when sick are so important.  The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is clear that closing school can occur in two situations:

  • consultation and permission from DESE and DPH due to a spike which could allow for a classroom, grade level or school to go remote
  • superintendent discussion to use a “snow day” that needs to be made up at the end of the year

Several districts are using the snow day approach to manage testing or large case numbers.  We are going to take this a day at a time and see what the needs are and determine the best response.  Given that we did not close at all last year, it is absolutely the hope we maintain that same consistency.

Should you have COVID questions, cases to report or information to share, please use the COVID email account during the vacation as it will be monitored regularly since the administrators and nurses will be on well-deserved vacations.

COVID Email Account:  covid@concordps.org

Thank you for the ongoing and collaborative support.  Have a wonderful week!

Best,

Laurie