Superintendent Update 3/12/2020

Dear North Smithfield Families and Staff, 

With the rapidly unfolding news and concerns about the spread of the Coronavirus, I wanted to follow up on my messages from the previous weeks with some additional information: 

1. Weekend Custodial Shifts - In addition to our daily and evening disinfecting, we are adding weekend custodial shifts to further deep clean and disinfect our schools. 
   
2. Postponements and Cancelations - With the DOH’s guidance on avoiding crowds of over 250 people, you will be notified of postponements or cancelation of events. Please be understanding as we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidance. 
   
3. Planning for Closure: Today the Rhode Island Departments of Health and Education called on districts to submit emergency school closure and virtual instruction plans. We were prepared for this, and submitted our plans the same day. Keep in mind, if a school or schools have to close, it will only be by order of the CDC and Department of Health in cooperation with the Department of Education and local school district administration.   
   

Below are reminders and requests from our Nurses (who have been absolutely wonderful with their attention, knowledge, and communications with our staff, students, and families):

• To help prevent the spread of illness in our school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if experiencing flu-like illness or cold symptoms (w/nasal discharge, congestion, cough, and sore throat). When calling in sick, please include a brief description of his or her symptoms on our attendance absence line. 
  
• Your child MUST stay home if he or she has any of these symptoms:​
  
  • Fever of 100.0 degrees or greater. Your child may NOT return to school until he or she has been fever-free (without the use of fever-reducing medication) for a MINIMUM of 24 hours
    
  • Vomiting (even once) within the past 24 hours..
    
  • Diarrhea (even once) within the past 24 hours.
    
  • Chills
    
  • General malaise or feelings of fatigue, weakness or muscle aches
    
  • Frequent or persistent cough
• Should a student become ill at school and need to be dismissed home by the nurse, it is essential that we have up-to-date emergency contact information in the event you cannot be reached. 
  
• Children medically dismissed are considered too ill to remain in the school setting. We ask that your child be picked up in a timely manner. 

We remind everyone to take the same measures that healthcare providers recommend to prevent the spread of flu and other similar viruses: 

1. Get your flu shot and encourage the people around you to do the same. 
   
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available. 
   
3. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Germs spread this way. 
   
4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
   
5. Stay home when you are sick. 
   
6. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.
   

Rhode Island Department of Health COVID-19 

• information webpage: https://health.ri.gov/diseases/ncov2019/
• Information line: 401-222-8022.

CDC Talking to Children about COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/talking-with-children.html

We will continue to share information and practices with the North Smithfield school community as we work together to ensure that our students, families, and staff remain healthy and safe.  


Michael St. Jean, 
Superintendent