Dear Methow Valley Students, Parents, Staff, and Community Members,
The days are longer, the sun is shining, the birds are returning, and Spring Break is rapidly approaching. How have we managed to get here… Well, let’s just say, it has been quite a journey. What I do know is we’ve done so together. On behalf of our school board, administrative team, and staff, thank you for doing your part to help keep our students, staff, and community healthy, and our schools open.
Spring Break
Following the Early Release day scheduled to occur on Friday, April 2, we will be closing our schools and the district office through the week of April 5 – 9 for Spring Break. Similar to other breaks that occur during the school year, we recognize that Spring Break often serves as a period of time traditionally associated with travel and gatherings for many families. Further, it’s my guess that we are all feeling a sense of “pandemic fatigue” and the itch to travel and/or spend time with those we have not been able to see.
Guidance for Those Planning to Travel
With an interest in keeping our schools and communities safe, healthy, and open, and in support of those whose plans do include some form of travel or gathering, we have reached out to our local public health officials for guidance. They are strongly encouraging individuals and families to adhere to the CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html
MVSD COVID-19 Protocol Involving Participation in Travel and/or Gatherings
Specific to our schools, our protocol involving students and staff who travel and/or gather during breaks remains the same. We ask that your student(s) attend school remotely during the first week following our return from breaks (Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Mid-Winter Break, Spring Break) “if” your student and/or immediate family members have been engaged in gatherings and/or travel resulting in possible exposure to COVID-19.
MVSD Student and Staff COVID-19 Testing
Additionally, in support of our efforts to keep our schools and community COVID-free, we will be facilitating student and staff COVID-19 testing the week following Spring Break. Parents were asked to complete the consent/opt-out form in February, inclusive of the COVID-19 testing scheduled to take place following Spring Break. If you haven’t yet done so, we ask that you contact your student’s school secretary and inform them of your intent (to provide consent for your student to participate or to opt your student out of COVID-19 testing) prior to Spring Break.
Testing results will be communicated on a “need to know basis”, protecting the safety of our students and each student’s right to privacy. No news is good news.
If you have any further questions regarding the recommended guidelines, district’s COVID-19 protocol, and/or testing procedures, please email MVSD School Nurse, Adriana Vanbianchi at: avanbianchi@methow.org
Thank you for doing your part to keep our schools and community safe, healthy, and open!
Sincerely,
Tom Venable
Superintendent, Methow Valley School District