CVSD Update December 22, 2021

 

December 22, 2021

Dear CVSD Community,

First, we apologize for the length of this letter. We want to provide an update about measures to protect against COVID and what to do if there is a positive case in the near future, especially over the winter break from school. New information was coming in each day this week and it extended the letter! This letter is also available, like all communications, on our website and our blog for future reference.

As we prepare for a new year during this global pandemic, many members of our community have questions about the district’s plans for dealing with a potential rise in cases. This leads us to send out a request and several reminders as we head into the school vacation and holiday season. If you haven’t had a chance, please view the CVSD December newsletter. It may have been lost in the shuffle of emails last week about the TikTok challenge. There’s more information in the newsletter about COVID, including a timely letter from Dr. Leah Costello about staying safe this holiday season.

The Agency of Education has notified Vermont school districts that we will not contact trace positive COVID cases over break. This is because most positive cases would not have been infectious at school and therefore contact tracing and notification will not occur. It also provides a well-deserved break for our nurses, administrators, and faculty/staff who have been working tirelessly to support contact tracing this year.

Governor Scott announced holiday vaccination and testing clinics today. Learn more about those in this press release from the Governor’s office.

COVID + Results

Over the winter break, CVSD would like to collect information about positive cases in order to monitor the number and locations of cases across our system. This way, our principals and administration can best prepare school staff and families for our return to school on January 3. Since the schools will not have personnel monitoring their main phone numbers daily, we are setting up an alternative method for informing the school and the district. Please, if your child tests positive over the school break, do not contact your local school. Instead, please send a message to this email address (cvsdcovid@cvsdvt.org) and provide the student's name, school, and whether the positive result was determined from a rapid test or PCR. You will then receive some information about what to do next. This email address will be monitored daily and will help our schools and the district plan for January 3.

Vaccines

Vaccinations (plus boosters for those eligible) are very effective at preventing infections from developing into serious illness. They also help us keep our schools open. As you likely know, all children ages 5 and up are eligible for COVID vaccines. Those who are 16 and up are eligible for a booster shot, 6 months after their last dose.

CVU will host an upcoming COVID vaccine clinic (for initial vaccines or boosters) on January 12 and February 2 between 9:00-3:00. You can also visit healthvermont.gov/KidsVaccine or call 855-722-7878 to schedule a vaccine.

Record of COVID Vaccination

For those with children who are fully vaccinated, (after the second dose) please let your school’s nurse know by emailing them with your child’s name, grade, and if possible, a photo of the vaccination card. You can find the contact information for your school’s nurse here. This is important because the more vaccinated students we have, the fewer need to participate in Test to Stay.

Test to Stay Update

We will continue our implementation of Test to Stay after the students return from Winter Break. As a reminder, the Test to Stay program is for students who are NOT vaccinated, are asymptomatic, and who may have had an exposure to COVID-19 at school. Based on the way that the Omicron variant is spreading around the country, we wanted to provide notice that should the number of students who need to use the program rise to the point where we cannot adequately staff the program, we may have to revert to quarantining unvaccinated students. Please consider getting your child vaccinated if you have not done so already.

In addition, you may have seen that some of our nearby districts have had to close schools due to the staffing shortages in the run-up to winter break. Should we have to follow a similar path, we will attempt to provide you with as much notice as possible so you can plan for the school’s closing.

COVID Support in Multiple Languages

The Vermont Language Justice Project has provided translated information in 10 different languages in support of sharing important information around COVID-19 with as many people as possible. You can view the videos online here.

Families should continue to monitor their students for COVID symptoms daily. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. Some people have reported additional symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, nausea, lethargy, lack of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Parents and guardians of students or staff exhibiting symptoms are asked to contact their family physician, the Vermont Department of Health, and the school nurse and not send students to school until it is confirmed that they have not tested positive. As always, the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. 

Patience, adherence to reliable and trusted science and public health guidance, and caring for each other as a community is required now more than ever. We are committed to doing so and ask all members of the CVSD community to do the same.

Rene Sanchez, Superintendent

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If you need other assistance during the break, please consider these resources:

• First Call - 488-7777: phone support, crisis intervention, assessment, and referrals
• In Crisis: 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) (National Hopeline Network: USA)
• National Suicide Prevention Life line- 1-800-273-TALK (8255), call or chat online
• Crisis Text Line - text HOME to 741741 (24 hours a day, seven days a week)
• Outright Vermont - support for LGBTQ+ community
• UVM Breathe In Breath Out - How to deal with stress due to COVID-19
• Vermont 211 -Vermont database of resources and services
• Vermont Support Line (833) 888-2557) - peer support warmline open 247 - 365 for call or text
• COVID Counselors @ VT-211
• Teen Crisis Text Line - Crisis Text Line provides free emotional support and information to teens in any type of crisis, including feeling suicidal. You can text with a trained specialist 24 hours a day. Text “HOME” to 741741.
• Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide - Website where you can find information to help yourself or a friend who may be having thoughts of suicide.
• Trevor Lifeline - 1-866- 488-7386 - provides suicide prevention and crisis intervention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. It offers free, 24/7, confidential counseling. TrevorText—text START to 678-678; TrevorChat—instant messaging at TheTrevorProject.org/help. It also runs TrevorSpace, an affirming social networking site for LGBTQ youth at TrevorSpace.