COVID-19 Sundown ISD Parent and Community Update
March 18, 2020
Dear Sundown ISD School Family,
Given the rapidly evolving situation with COVID-19, Sundown ISD will extend spring break for students from March 23 through March 27. This and other national, state and local decisions are made in an effort to support our nation’s need to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. Our health officials report that cases are continuing to spread in the state and an increase in confirmed cases in our region seems likely. Suspending operations for this length of time will allow us to determine, in coordination with local health officials, whether the virus is continuing to have community spread or whether it has been contained. The decision whether to close schools after the extended spring break is still under consideration. We are coordinating with other school districts in the region and county and will use the week of the 23rd to make any decisions on whether there is a need to extend further. Our staff will be on duty next week to prepare for the possibility of remote learning opportunities.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has outlined the need for all communities to implement a social distancing protocol. We want to reiterate a request to our broader community to take the following reasonable precautions to prevent the spread of the illness:
· Don’t shake hands
· Wash your hands regularly
· Limit movement within the community, especially avoiding crowded places
and maintaining 3 to 6 ft of distance between people (at least an arm’s
length)
· If you are moving around in the community, don’t congregate in large
groups
· For those who have traveled to areas with known COVID-19 cases – both
inside and outside of the country – we ask that you self-quarantine and
monitor for symptoms
· If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care
provider for medical advice
· Keep your child at home if he/she feels ill, even if you think it is just a cold
· Do not leave the house if you are ill, except to access medical care
This is a quickly changing situation, and we will continue to monitor information, will assess conditions throughout the remainder of this and next week, and will provide you with updates as needed if a change in plans is warranted.
Other changes include the closing of our community gym until further notice. Also, our community bond presentation scheduled for March 23rd has been postponed. We will let you know when this event is rescheduled.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we ensure that all members of the community in Sundown stay safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Scott Marshall