Dear Members of the AOS 98 School Community;
Our school community has six weeks of wonderful educational experiences lined up for our students. Continued cooperation with our ongoing layered mitigation strategies for COVID-19 will be critical in this final push toward our year end learning and community celebrations. I wanted to provide a reminder to everyone regarding our mask optional status (since March 9), layered mitigation strategies still in effect, and the current Lincoln Country status for COVID-19 which was elevated to high (COVID-19 by County | CDC).
Based on the CDC’s recommendations, I am strongly encouraging students and staff to wear masks indoors. My encouragement is based on a desire to keep our students and staff healthy, reduce community spread, and minimize the chances of a significant disruption to learning and the planned celebrations to end the school year. I want to thank the students and all community members for continuing to respect everyone’s choice to wear or not wear a mask based on their situation.
How can you help?
• If you or your child are symptomatic – Stay Home and contact your child’s physician!
At home tests are now available and you will be receiving notice of when and how you can pick them up. If you do not want the tests for home use, please indicate so on the notice you receive and this will allow us to give extra tests for those who may need more. We also will continue to do testing at school for students who become symptomatic during the day.
With the high community level and optional masking, we will be relying heavily on our other layered prevention strategies and your continued cooperation:
● Daily home screening-Stay home if you or your child are symptomatic
● Encouraging physical distancing while indoors (3-6 ft).
● Practicing hand hygiene.
● Cleaning and disinfection practices.
● Eating snacks and lunch outside when the weather permits.
● Maximizing air quality on the buses and in the classroom by opening windows.
● Masks and Sanitizer will continue be provided at school
● Additional cleaning and sanitizing will continue as it has throughout this pandemic
Please know that the staff and I will be working diligently on continuing the school’s prevention strategies which have enabled us to remain open for in person instruction throughout this school year. We will continue to monitor the situation within our schools and with our COVID 19 team members. We will let you know if any further adjustments need to be made to our mitigation strategies.
Thank you for your continued support as we hopefully end the school year “strong” and with minimal disruption due to COVID 19. Please contact your child’s school or my office if you have additional questions regarding this matter.
Be well and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Kahler
Superintendent of Schools, AOS 98