Days from reopening, Rapp schools prepare for potential COVID-19 scenarios

School board calls back-toschool plan “exceptional”

It may be impossible to predict the future while mired in a raging pandemic, but Rappahannock County Public Schools (RCPS) has prepared protocols for virtually every COVID-19-related scenario it can imagine in advance of a looming August 24 reopening. On Tuesday night, the School Board heard a reopening update from Superintendent Shannon Grimsley and a health and safety presentation from School Nurse Courtney Atkins. Plus, the school board voted unanimously to allow Superintendent Grimsley to fill teaching vacancies in the

event that the schools run out of substitute teachers due to COVID-19 absences.

Here are the other highlights:

RCPS SURVEY RESULTS

According to an RCPS survey, 83 percent of families want to send their kids back to school. Seventeen percent say their children will go back to school remotely, which may leave enough space in schools for the 15 percent of families who want to send their children to school four days a week instead of two.

The same survey also found that only 34 percent of Rappahannock families have reliable internet at home — a statistic that may not be surprising, but still serves to highlight inequities in broadband access throughout the county.

FEEL SICK? STAY HOME!

“Kids get sent to school when sick a lot,” Atkins said. “We want to educate our parents on . . . when to keep your child home.”

If a child exhibits any symptoms, RCPS asks parents to keep him or her at home. RCPS will require parents to attest on good faith that they are checking their children daily for any signs of illness.

“Honestly, even if symptoms [are not] COVID-19 related, don’t show up at school,” Atkins said. Families will not be penalized for keeping their children home from school.

Staff will also perform daily self-screenings for health and are asked to stay home if they are sick.

IF TESTING POSITIVE?

If a student or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, the sick person must stay at home for at least 10 days after the positive diagnosis. Before returning to school, he or she must be symptom free, fever free and feel well for at least 24 hours.

Local health officials will immediately be notified of the positive case and the school will likely dismiss students and staff for a short period (estimated 2-5 days). Nobody, including custodial staff, will be allowed inside the school building for at least 24 hours.

IF EXPOSED TO COVID?

Students and staff who believe they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 should notify the school and quarantine for 14 days.

“For an exposure, we give a little bit longer so that we cover the incubation period,” Atkins said.

Generally symptoms of the virus do not appear for between 2-5 days after a person has contracted the virus. And remember that an infected person can be contagious for several days even if he or she is asymptomatic.

ALTERNATE DIAGNOSES

If a student gets tested for COVID-19 symptoms but receives another diagnosis (like strep throat or the common cold, for example) he or she can return to school when a doctor says it is safe.