Updated: Cook Inlet Academy will also be closed from March 16-20th.
Original Post:
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will close all 42 schools to students March 16-20, 2020, to assist with flattening the infection curve, social distancing, and slowing the COVID-19 spread in communities across the borough.
2020-03-12-KPBSD Schools Close for Students March 16-20
KPBSD staff will receive an update about when to report to work by the end of the day on Friday, March 13, 2020, through district email.
CDC and state DHSS recommendations directly influenced this difficult decision. Additional updates about the COVID-19 districtwide closure and subsequent actions will be sent to families and staff via SchoolMessenger. Kindly monitor the KPBSD website, Mobile app, Facebook, and Twitter pages for updates. The best place to learn about COVID-19 is the state website, or the CDC.
New “Symptom-Free” Schools Protocol
When schools reopen, and until the end of the school year, all KPBSD schools will adopt a “Symptom-Free” School Protocol* for students and staff. Children and staff should not be at schools or school activities if any of these symptoms are present:
Temperature of 100 or greater
Cough
Constantly runny nose
*Exceptions for pre-existing conditions will be determined by the nurse or administrator.
The Symptom Free Schools Protocol includes the school day, co-curriculars, and sports.
Questions we have received throughout the week are primarily: When do students and staff stay home? How will education delivery happen if schools close? What if I traveled out of Alaska over spring break? In addition, our team has focused on many other aspects of our continuity of operations plan, and keeping schools calm, healthy, and a place of learning. Responses to these questions and others will be posted Friday on our dedicated COVID-19 and KPBSD webpage, and updated as new information is available.
This is a lot of information, and we will be in close communication during this time of uncertainty. We urge you to do what is best for your family, and reach out to your school or the district with school related questions. Our communities are strong, and we will weather this storm.
Sincerely,
John O’Brien
Superintendent of Schools
This is a developing story it will be updated as details are released.