Superintendent's Weekly Update 4/30/21

 


Hello,

I hope everyone had a good and relaxing week away. We are entering the home stretch of the school year and as you will see it will be a busy 7 weeks. I have a lot of information to share so thank you for taking the time to read this.

New Updates:

Guidance has been updated on close contacts. The new guidance calls for everyone within 6 feet of a COVID positive case to be notified but only individuals within 3 feet will need to quarantine. This went into effect this week. The Governor has also lifted the mask mandate for people who are vaccinated and outside. The Douglas Public Schools will still require everyone to wear a mask while on school grounds regardless if you have been vaccinated or not. 

Pooled Testing:

This week we had our first pool test flagged. We were able to identify an asymptomatic individual early on and have them quarantine. At this time we only have about 20% of our population testing weekly. This is a self administered nasal swab that takes under 10 seconds to administer. If you are interested in having your student tested for free every week in school please contact the school nurse. Attached are their emails:

Melanie Gaucher mgaucher@douglasps.net

Kathy Campbell kcampbell@douglasps.net

Melanie Brundage mbrundage@douglasps.net

Heather Tarantino htarantino@douglasps.net

Safety Guidelines

Just a reminder I am attaching out safety guidelines below:

  1. Avoid large social gatherings

  2. Wear a mask

  3. Practice social distancing

  4. Wash your hands frequently

  5. Follow the guidance set forth by the Governor

  6. If the Board of Health calls, please answer and provide them with the information they need

  7. If you are sick, stay home

  8. If you live with someone that is symptomatic, stay home until they test negative

Director of Special Education

Earlier this month Nealy Urquhart, Assistant Superintendent of the Office of Student Support Services, accepted a new position in a different district. This is a wonderful opportunity for her both personally and professionally. She has been a dedicated educator and leader in Douglas for over a decade. She has made a positive impact on the lives of so many students, families, and educators. I know I speak for all of us in Douglas in wishing her the best in this new chapter in her life. As a result of this, I have had to begin the process of searching for a new Director. We have posted for the job on several different websites and I have also reached out to school leaders to see if they have anyone that may be ready and interested in this opportunity. Next week, I will finalize the interview process and team, and the hope is to hold the first round of interviews on May 17 and 18. I will keep you posted throughout the process. 

Please see the attached flyer for a service project for one of our high school students. Any help would be appreciated.






COVID Data

Attached is a link to our COVID Dashboard along with guidance and information for families. Link To COVID Dashboard  guidance for families 



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