Working Together (September 8, 2021)
I speak often of collaboration—its importance and the effort that we take in this district to seek and act upon the knowledge and advice of professionals who devote their lives and careers to keeping us safe, healthy and informed. Last week, Springfield families received a letter that was composed as a result of our collaboration with the superintendents in neighboring school districts who, like me, continue to navigate the impact on students and staff of the coronavirus and its variants. I’ve mentioned, too, that separately and together we are in constant communication with the leaders of the Toledo Lucas County Health Department to seek and act on their guidance, so that we may continue to safely educate and nurture our students, in-person—no one wants this more than our board of education, administration, faculty and staff.
Because the community invests greatly in the education of our students, I feel that it is important that I also share the message penned in cooperation with my colleagues in Anthony Wayne, Educational Services Center of Lake Erie West, Maumee, Perrysburg, Oregon City Schools, Rossford, Sylvania and Washington Local Schools with the regular readers of this column that was provided to families. Through the district’s instant alert systems and social media platforms, we offered the following:
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, school systems across our country, state and county have taken steps to help control the spread of the virus. Our shared goal has been to keep our students in school while ensuring the safety of our children, staff and communities. We recognize the best way to accomplish this goal is to have multiple measures in place such as vaccination, proper ventilation, frequent sanitation of hands and high touch surfaces, social distancing and masking. Together, these layered mitigation strategies make a difference, especially during times of high spread in our communities. As superintendents, we rely on the guidance of state and local health officials and professionals, as well as state and national experts for their advice, in addition to constantly examining our own internal data. We realize how difficult it is for families who have a child, especially an elementary-aged student, who has to isolate or quarantine. Based on our data, after having excluded/quarantined thousands of students, we know how unlikely it is that a student quarantining due to a COVID-19 school exposure develops into a COVID positive case.
Thus, we will adjust our COVID-19 protocols beginning Tuesday, September 7. Beginning on September 7, if a child is exposed to the virus, but that child is vaccinated and/or if the child is wearing a mask in a mask-required environment during the exposure, that child should not need to be excluded from school. These same exclusion practices will be in place when students are on the bus. Practically speaking, during the school day, the risk of exposure will primarily be at lunch if students are unmasked and within three feet for 15 or more minutes. If this is the case, those within three feet of the positive student will still be excluded since it was an unmasked environment. With regard to exclusions related to athletics, there are no changes at this time. It also is important to note, we will continue to follow Ohio Revised Code, and should the Toledo Lucas County Health Department determine that more individuals should be quarantined as a result of their requirements they will contact those individuals. We appreciate the support, patience and understanding our community members have shown throughout the pandemic. We have remained committed to following the data and this shift is an adjustment that supports our goal of keeping our students in school and supporting the continuity of instruction. We all continue to look forward to the day when the pandemic is behind us, and together we will get there.
It is important that we remain transparent with information and data—that is why I shared this message and the data that is updated weekly on our website that details the number of staff and students who have received a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. While many may view these as “cases,” I see each as a person —whether adult or child, whose health is now included in the statistics that have been reported since the onset of this global pandemic. Some have experienced few symptoms while others have been or remain very sick.
Many share their opinions, suggestions and recommendations about this aggressive disease and efforts to mitigate it—often on social media. I have directed my team to continue sharing information on the district’s plans and COVID-19 mitigation efforts, on any vaccine clinics—especially hosted in the district, on masking and on a variety of other important topics because it is important to do so.
