Dear Parents/Guardians:
This week the District was notified that two individuals associated with Montgomery C. Smith Elementary School tested positive for COVID-19.
- An elementary staff member – The individual has not been present at school since before the holiday recess. Due to the length of time since they were last in school, no contact tracing within the school is required.
- An elementary student – The student was last present in school on Tuesday, January 5th. Contact tracing is ongoing and we are working to notify any students or staff who need to quarantine as a precaution. If you are not contacted by a representative of the District or Department of Health, there is no further action needed on your part. As you know, Wednesday is a day of deep cleaning at all schools and surfaces at MCSES were disinfected since the student was last on campus. Please be assured that the in-person learning environment remains safe for students and staff.
We are committed to providing a safe learning environment and we must continue working together to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Families and community members can assist our efforts by promoting healthy behaviors and following these practices:
- Know the symptoms of COVID-19 and how to identify them in yourself and others. The DOH has indicated that loss of taste or smell may be a primary indicator of COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals.
- Stay home from school or work if sick, even if symptoms are mild.
- Wear a face covering in areas where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.
- Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue (or sleeve), and then throw the tissue in the trash. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces that are often touched.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid large group gatherings, especially where masks are not worn.
As a reminder, please monitor your child(ren) for signs of illness and report any absences to your child’s school, even if your student is fully remote. It is important for the schools to have student absence information on file due to the current COVID-19 safety protocols in place. The Reporting Student Absence Form, which should be completed any time your child is absent from in-person OR virtual school, is available in multiple languages and can be found on our website at www.hudsoncsd.org/parents. Monitor your family’s health and contact your healthcare provider if you notice new symptoms of COVID-19. Any positive COVID-19 test results should be reported to your child’s school as soon as possible. Anyone with questions or who needs to report a COVID-19 related health issue should contact their child’s principal or school nurse.
We appreciate your cooperation and partnership in the interest of everyone’s health and safety.
Sincerely,
Dr. Maria Lagana Suttmeier, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools