Letter From KCPS Regarding Coronavirus

March 11, 2020

Dear KCPS Families and Staff,

We are writing to provide you with new information about the coronavirus and our district’s efforts to ensure the wellbeing of all students and staff. School officials are working closely with the Kent County Health Department (KCHD), Kent County Department of Emergency Services, Maryland Department of Health, Maryland State Department of Education, and the CDC to monitor this matter. This is a rapidly changing situation and as such, additional information will be shared as it becomes available.

Within our schools and facilities:
● Sanitation efforts by the custodial staff have been intensified within the school, focusing on door knobs and handles, light switches, desktops, faucets, etc. with the schools FDA approved disinfectant.
● There is a continued emphasis on the importance of regular and thorough handwashing. Hand sanitizer stations are located in common areas.
● The school health rooms have face masks available to use in an effort to decrease the potential spread of disease.
● School nurses will be keeping lists to track flu-like illnesses.
● The bus contractors that service KCPS schools are part of our communication loop and remain informed of the
situation in our county and schools. Preparation for disinfecting buses has occurred and will be aligned to decisions made in conjunction with KC. Should the time come, buses that serve an impacted school will undergo a comprehensive disinfection process.
● The district continues to share best practices for overall health in the cold and influenza season with students, parents and staff. These preventive measures include:
○ Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
○ If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%-95% alcohol.
○ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
○ Stay home when you are sick and do not return to school or work until you have been fever-free without the use of fever reducing medication for at least 24 hours. At this time, these symptoms are more likely due to influenza or other respiratory viruses than to the coronavirus.
○ Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, dispose in the trash can. If tissues are not available, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow.
○ Providing your child with tissues or hand sanitizer is encouraged.
○ Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects where a virus can live.

Staff Travel and Field Trips
Based on the Governor’s announcement late yesterday afternoon and until further notice, all employees scheduled for out of state business trips are now restricted to in-state travel only.
We have taken steps to restrict out of state student field trips, approving only in-state field trips and those within the local Delaware area until further notice. Please understand KCPS trips may be cancelled at any time as the Coronavirus situation is evolving day by day. Transportation is contacting sponsors to determine whether they wish to delay or cancel their trips with knowledge that the trip may be cancelled by the organizer or KCPS at a future date.

Instruction activities:
● In the event school closures are warranted, administration is preparing for the possibility of delivering online instruction in grade levels where appropriate.
● In order to meet the needs of all students and families, we are currently working to provide students instructional activities accessing their Google for Education Accounts, which provides the ability for students to participate in online activities in a structured manner.

GROWING A COMMUNITY OF LEADERS
Talking with our Children
● Keep explanations developmentally appropriate.
● Remind children they are safe. Remain calm and reassuring.
● Be available to your children and answer questions to the best of your ability. It is ok to not have all of the answers.
● Be a good listener. Allow your children to talk about their feelings and concerns. Some children may prefer to
express their feelings through writing or artwork.
● Validate feelings and reactions as normal responses to uncertain or upsetting news.
● Model empathy for others. Many people are impacted by the virus in a variety of ways.

In the Event of School Closures
We are in daily contact with the health department and will follow their recommendations as needed.
● KCPS will follow local and state health department guidance in direction in getting our facilities and buses back to normal operations.
● The KCPS website will be updated frequently and information will be shared with the community about our operational status through multiple methods such as the KCPS school app, facebook and our robocall system.

Resources for staff and parents
● Center for Disease Control & Prevention, COVID-19
● Kent County Health Department
● Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus, Child Mind Institute
● Talking With Children: Tips for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers During Infectious Disease Outbreaks, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
● Talking to Children About COVID–19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource, National Association of School Psychologists
● Checklist for Parents, CDC

Please feel free to contact your school nurse with any questions that you may have.