Dear Parents and Guardians,
I am writing today to ask for your help. The number of student COVID cases, as well as the number of students who are required to self-quarantine from close contact, has suddenly spiked in the last week (16 confirmed student cases). I know we all share the same goal – keeping students in school with their teachers in a safe and healthy environment. In order to sustain the learning environment in the Yellow Level of Operation, we need to work together to encourage our students to follow precautionary measures to keep our schools open. While we certainly ask students to adhere to the expectations outlined in the LJSD Reopen Plan (maintain social distance of 6 feet or follow the recommendation to wear a mask if you are unable to do so and wash your hands often), kids listen and trust their parents and we would really appreciate your help in reinforcing the “why” with your kids. We want all students to have the option of daily in-person learning (staying in Yellow), as well as participation in athletic events, graduation, prom, etc. Thank you for helping us remind students of the expectations which will help keep our schools safe. We know this will take all of us working together and we appreciate your support and understanding.
Dr. Meyer, Superintendent
Would you like a COVID Test and cost is a problem? We have vouchers for students and staff who are uninsured or underinsured – contact Nurse Judy at jgerstenberger@lakeland272.org or 208-683-2231
What is Contact Tracing and How Does it Work?
With the recent surge in the number of people testing positive for COVID-19, there have been several questions surrounding contact tracing. What does contact tracing really mean?
Contact tracing is the process used to understand how an infectious disease is spreading in our community. The purpose of contact tracing is threefold: to find out how an individual became sick, find out who else might have been exposed, and protect others from being infected.
In order to keep our students and staff safe, our School Nurse team works tirelessly to conduct effective contact tracing. When we have individuals who have tested positive or have been in close contact with anyone who tested positive within our schools, the nurses notify these individuals and advise them on how to move forward.
Schools cannot and will not release information regarding positive students if that individual could be identified through an announcement.
Per Idaho laws, the Health District is required to notify schools of positive cases among students or staff. Health Districts are also required to notify the school of close contacts of confirmed positive cases if those close contacts attend that school.
Updated Definition of “Close Contact” from CDC
Someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
CDC Website for more information
New PHD Press Release Today: Case Surges Overwhelm Public Health Efforts Across Idaho