East Central Alabama News

Talladega County Schools recently issued the following announcement.

Our Commitment to You 

Dear Parents of Talladega County Schools Students,

Throughout the summer, school personnel have worked diligently to prepare for your student’s safe return.  This year’s return will come with new protocols and procedures in order to provide a safe and healthy environment. 

We are committed to the following:

• Temperature checks each day for all students and staff before entering the school facility 
• Isolation of potentially sick students
• Staggered schedule to reduce the number of students in attendance so that social distancing can be accomplished both in the classroom, hallways, and on school buses
• Hand sanitation and frequent hand washing breaks
• Requirement of masks for all students and all employees; students 6 years old and under are not required but encouraged to wear masks
• Sanitization and disinfection of classrooms, restrooms, common areas, desks, and door knobs daily
• Limited capacity in school cafeterias

We are also committed to timely parent notification of COVID-19 cases within our schools.  Based upon guidance from the Alabama Department of Public Health, Talladega County Schools will adhere to the following guidelines:

• The school nurse will determine “close contacts” to the positive or symptomatic individual. The school nurse will advise close contacts to self-quarantine for 14 days from exposure and monitor their health closely
• Parents will be notified by school officials if their student has been in “close contact” with the positive or symptomatic individual.

 We are committed to transparency in reporting positive cases of COVID-19 within our schools to all parents.  We will adhere to the following guidelines:

• Parents have 24/7 access to the confirmed case count via their student’s access to the Google Classroom Course title COVID-19 Tracker.  The tracker will be updated daily.

The safety and well-being of our students and employees is top priority.  We ask for your commitment to the following:

• Monitor your child’s temperature daily before leaving home for school
• Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms (cough, congestion, shortness of breath, or gastrointestinal symptoms)
• Reinforce handwashing, cough into elbow/tissue, no sharing of personal supplies, and self-reporting any symptoms to teacher/nurse
• Notify the school administrator immediately if your child is exposed to COVID-19, the student tested positive for COVID-19, or a household member tests positive for COVID-19

 We look forward to a safe and productive year of learning.

 Sincerely, 

 Suzanne Lacey, Ed.D., Superintendent

Original source can be found here.