March 9, 2020 Update

March 9, 2020

Thank you for your patience and consideration as we work through many details and strive to get answers for all members of our communities. We have received many inquiries after our message went out this morning about closing the Williston Schools. We will do our best to answer the most common questions below. 

Will the Williston Schools be open tomorrow, March 10th?

The CVSD Leadership team has had the opportunity to consult with both the Agency of Education (AOE) and Vermont Department of Health (DOH), as well as to discuss the relevant details of our specific situation. After much consideration, we have made the decision to close the Williston Schools for one additional day; therefore, the Williston Schools will be closed on Tuesday, March 10th. Both schools will reopen on Wednesday, March 11th.

The original decision to close today (Monday) was based on the information available to the administration Sunday evening, without the benefit of guidance from the AOE and DOH. In an abundance of caution, we opted to close. This gives us time to fully clean our schools (see below for details about deep cleaning). While we are doing everything we can to keep our school community safe, it is also true that it is important for our schools to be open and available to students and families. Based on the guidance from the AOE and DOH, it is clear to us that the best decision is to reopen the Williston schools on Wednesday, March 11th. This allows our custodial team time to complete the deep cleaning process and also allows families and staff to feel more confident that the building is ready for learning. We trust that families and staff will make individual decisions as necessary.

The Agency of Education is in the process of developing additional protocols for situations related to the health and wellness of school staff and students. The District will continue to follow their guidance as it is shared.

Can you inform us about who the staff member was?

We need to respect the privacy of the staff member and cannot and will not be releasing that person’s name or other identifiers. 

Can you provide any details about how much interaction they may have had with other staff and students?

At this point, the district is awaiting guidance from the Department of Health about notification. We have been made aware that if notification is required, it would come directly from the Department of Health, as this is a public health issue. The District does not have the authority to release information about staff and students. We would advise that if you or your child becomes symptomatic, or if you have health-related questions, you should contact your physician or the Department of Health.

Is the staff member getting tested or will they be tested for COVID-19?

The staff person has contacted the Department of Health and is abiding by their recommendations regarding testing procedures. If the person tests positive, the Department of Health would manage any and all notifications.

Will the families of children who were in direct contact be notified?

Any notification would come from the Department of Health. We would advise that if you or your child becomes symptomatic, or if you have health-related questions you should contact your physician or the Department of Health.

Why were both of the Williston schools closed? What about siblings that attend CVU?

Closing both of the Williston schools is largely due to the fact that there are staff members that work in both buildings and our school buses are used for students in both buildings. CVU students do not ride the same buses nor do they have the same teachers. 

How long are the schools going to be closed? Families need this information for childcare and work purposes.

At this point, the Williston Schools are closed on Tuesday, March 10 in addition to today. It is our intention that schools will open as usual on Wednesday, March 11th. We will keep people informed as often as we can.

What type of disinfecting is happening at Allen Brook?

The custodial staff at both Allen Brook and Williston Central are cleaning and disinfecting all spaces from top to bottom. The custodial staff has received training in the proper use of disinfectants and are wearing appropriate Personal Protection Equipment. After a thorough cleaning, surfaces we will be disinfected using a broad spectrum anti-bacterial, virucide, and fungicide which is effective against Norovirus and approved for use in schools and hospitals. Walls, floors, doors and door frames, sinks, drinking fountains, windows, countertops, furniture; any surface that may be touched will be disinfected. All classroom contents are being cleaned and disinfected including keyboards and tablets. All spaces including hallways, gyms, cafeterias, and bathrooms are included. In addition, all school buses are being cleaned and disinfected. 

Will Williston schools need to make up these two days?

State law requires that schools be in session for a minimum of 175 days. The CVSD School Board, with guidance from the AOE, will make decisions about the school calendar at a later date.

If we are canceling school because there was a potential threat of coronavirus will we be canceling if it spreads to others in our community? Is there an existing plan for online instruction if needed?

The original decision to close today (Monday) was based on the information available to the administration Sunday evening, without the benefit of guidance from the AOE and DOH. Today, we have had the opportunity to consult with the two lead agencies. The information gathered from those consultations, in addition to fully considering the information we have today has led us to the decision that it is in the best interest of students and families to reopen on Wednesday. Moving forward, we will continue to abide by protocols established by the AOE and DOH.

We remind everyone that there are proactive public health measures we can all use. We have shared information about handwashing and other recommendations from the CDC on the COVID-19 headline on the District’s website. www.cvsdvt.org

Thank you, 

The Champlain Valley School District Administration