November 16, 2020
Dear Families:
The District was notified of two additional positive cases of COVID-19 over the weekend as well as another staff member who was identified as a “probable positive.” All three cases are from East Pike Elementary. As you can see, unfortunately, these most recent cases support the decision we made to go fully remote at East Pike Elementary School. The conditions in which we are operating change by the minute.
The decision to remain open or closed is not one we take lightly. Please understand that a temporary closure could occur in the near future at any of our schools if the rates continue to rise. We take a great deal of time to look at each incident in a thorough manner, as the details vary for each case. That is exactly why we built in the ranges that we did. Currently, in all schools except for East Pike, we are still within the 2-4 range as identified in our Health Plan; however, our ability to remain open is fragile. We have no known active cases at Ben Franklin, Horace Mann, or Eisenhower. The Junior High has one positive active case at the current time, and the Senior High has two. Thus, we are operating within the confines of our plan; however, the community spread is rising and it is getting more difficult to overcome as it is entering our doors.
If we were to close, please note that this action would be taken out of an abundance of caution, and in an effort to avoid exposing students and families, to eliminate the potential for spread, as well as to avoid a longer and more disruptive closure. If we were to close, your children’s education would continue through live online instruction. Again, I realize the hurt, frustration, and inconvenience these decisions cause our families.
My intention is not to scare you or cause panic; rather, my goal is to make you aware of the fact that a possible closure could occur if our numbers continue to increase. We will do our best to communicate the details of closure as far advanced as possible; however, the situation in which we are working changes by the minute.
I realize that these are difficult times with the increased pressures the pandemic causes, and there are no guaranteed right or wrong answers at times due to the varying beliefs, attitudes, and opinions on the matter. On behalf of the entire District, please know we are doing all we can to remain open to provide educational programming to our students with safety at the forefront of our decision-making. As the holiday season approaches, your diligent efforts in speaking with your child about the need to wear masks, social distance, and washing their hands frequently are needed more than ever. If your child is ill, please keep them at home. We thank you all for what you have done already and thank you for the work that is to come. We truly appreciate you all.
Respectfully,
Mr. Michael J. Vuckovich
IASD Superintendent