This presentation shares the recommendation for the next 30 days which was approved by the School Board. Additionally, this presentation shares a potential model for the holiday season (Holiday/Quarantine model).
Archives for October 2020
Rochester Public Schools Shares Update on Fall Reopening Plan
School Board to Discuss Holiday Season Changes at Oct. 29 Meeting
Superintendent Kyle Repucci wishes to share an update to the reopening plan for the 2020-21 academic year and information about the initial discussions of how it may change during the upcoming holiday season.
On Thursday, Oct. 15, the School Board voted to continue with full-time, in-person learning for the next 24 days. Remote learning will remain available for families who opted to have their students follow that model.
This vote was made based on the guidance in the plan that it be reevaluated every 30 days by the School Board. To view the complete plan, click here.
“Our students and staff have shown great resilience since the start of the school year, quickly adopting the measures that we put in place to help protect the health and safety of everyone in the buildings,” Superintendent Repucci said. “Based on the information from local and state public health officials, the risk of community spread continues to remain low in Rochester. We are continuing to closely monitor the situation and will make any necessary changes should that risk change.”
Since the start of the school year, there have been two individuals — one at Spaulding High School and one at William Allen School — who have tested positive for COVID-19. At this time, there are only two active cases in Rochester, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
School officials are now reviewing a variety of options for the Thanksgiving and Christmas season that accounts for a continuity of learning for those who may need to quarantine if families travel or have members visit during that time.
Based on the current reopening plan, families are asked to quarantine for 14 days after traveling out of an abundance of caution and students are provided remote learning opportunities during this time. This would mean that students who travel for Thanksgiving would need to quarantine until Monday, Dec. 14 and would only have a week of in-person learning before leaving again for Christmas break. Should they travel during Christmas, students would need to participate in remote learning once again.
Rather than have students switch between remote and in-person learning during the holidays, one option that the district is exploring is having all students participate in remote learning during this time. There will be an opportunity for some students to attend remote instruction or services at a school if needed.
The district know this model may present issues for some families and are actively seeking out community partners to provide childcare options for these individuals during this time as well. This will also be discussed at the School Board Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29.
A more-detailed description of this model will be presented at the School Board meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. At that time, the Board will ask questions and make any changes to the proposal, and may vote to approve the model.
Community members are invited to attend the meeting in-person at the Rochester Community Center, 150 Wakefield St., however space is limited and may require people to view the meeting from the hallway. All in-person attendees will be required to wear a face mask or covering, and to practice social distancing.
The meeting can also be streamed live. Viewing options will be posted on the City of Rochester’s website prior to the meeting.
Rochester Public Schools Reports Positive Case of COVID-19 at William Allen School
Superintendent Kyle Repucci reports that Rochester Public Schools were informed today of a positive case of COVID-19 at William Allen School.
An individual at William Allen School has tested positive for the virus and is self-quarantining in accordance with New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol. The individual has not been in school since Monday, Oct. 5, and will be able to return to school on Tuesday, Oct. 20, as long as the student has been cleared by DHHS to do so. Under state and federal privacy laws, no further information is available about the individual.
Those in the one affected classroom will be contacted and given instructions for remote learning, which remain in place until Tuesday, Oct. 20.
The district is actively working with and following guidelines from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The district will be working with DHHS to identify and contact all close contacts of the positive individual. Those who are identified as a close contact (anyone who was within 6 feet of the infected individual up to two days prior to the positive test result) will be contacted by DHHS and required to quarantine for at least two weeks. Specific quarantine plans will be provided to those affected. Those families and staff will be directed to get tested and keep themselves or their children quarantined until 14 days following their last possible exposure. If you do not receive a call from DHHS, this means you have not been identified as a close contact and you are not required to quarantine.
If you or your child are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, respiratory illness, aches or change in taste and smell, please stay home and get a COVID-19 test. Testing can be done either through your primary healthcare provider or at one of the testing sites located throughout the state. Those getting tested should bring this letter with them as well.
Please note that if you or your child are currently quarantined, you must remain in quarantine for 14 days, even if your test is negative. This is due to the fact that symptoms can present up to two weeks after exposure.
Deep cleaning of all schools will continue to be conducted each night. High touch surfaces are and will continue to be cleaned frequently and as needed throughout the day while the building is occupied. Sanitizing wipes remain available in each classroom to wipe down desks when students change classrooms.
In addition, to prevent further spread of the disease in the community, Rochester Public Schools ask that students, families and staff take the following precautions to prevent the spread of the disease:
- Stay home if you have a fever or are not feeling well. Students should stay home from school should any new or unexplained illness, no matter how mild, develop. This precaution is meant to keep all staff and students safe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, please adhere to social distancing guidelines and keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
- Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Children may worry about themselves, their family and friends getting sick with COVID-19. Tips for talking to children about COVID-19 can be found here.
To learn more about COVID-19, please check these trusted resources:
Bus route changes
Please reference your bus route here for any potential modifications.