Oskaloosa Schools Set To Close March 16, 2020
Message to Families: School Closing
As a school district, we have been closely monitoring the news and best practices regarding the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). At the direction of Governor Kim Reynolds, all schools in Iowa must close for 4 weeks. This closure will take effect Monday, March 16, 2020. The first week, we are already scheduled to be on Spring Break.
The closure affects all school programming, including before- and after-school activities, all athletic and extracurricular practices and competitions, all facility rentals, and all weekend events.
District teachers and staff have been considering e-learning plans for our students. Your teachers will be providing more information after March 23 if we go this route. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s building principal. We understand we have some challenges regarding internet access in our community and we are trying to determine a viable solution.
We are actively preparing to continue with school lunch services beginning on March 23. More details on school lunch will be provided in the coming days.
The coronavirus is thought to be spread via person-to-person contact through contaminated air droplets from coughing and sneezing by an infected person. As with controlling the spread of other viruses, we urge you to speak to your child about the following prevention measures:
Wash your hands regularly, especially after using the restroom and before preparing or consuming food. Using soap and hot water, wash for about 20 seconds. Be sure to also wash your fingertips.
Avoid coughing or sneezing into your hands or in the air. Always try to cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away. If you don’t have a tissue, cough/sneeze into your arm.
As much as you can, avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose.
The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to the regular seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, and coughing. Some people with coronavirus have reported additional symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In some situations, the virus can develop into pneumonia. Individuals who need medical care should call their medical provider to report their illness prior to seeking care at a clinic, physician’s office, or hospital. Parents of students exhibiting flu-like symptoms or staff exhibiting flu-like symptoms are asked to contact their health care provider..
I know the days ahead will be challenging for you and your family. We will do our absolute best to rise to the occasion and try to assist you in finding solutions going forward.
Sincerely,
Paula J. Wright, Superintendent
