A Message to Parents from the Cache County School District

A+Message+to+Parents+from+the+Cache+County+School+District

March 12, 2020

Dear CCSD parents and staff,

Today, Governor Herbert and the Utah Coronavirus Task Force held a press conference announcing measures across the state to help curb the spread of COVID-19. During that press conference, the Task Force made several recommendations.

Recommendations, effective immediately, for the general public include:

  • Limit mass gatherings to less than 100 healthy individuals, including church meetings, concerts, and conferences. This does not apply to schools or businesses.
  • Those over the age of 60 and those with compromised immune systems should avoid gatherings of more than 20 people.
  • If you are sick, stay home. 

Specific directives given to K-12 schools include:

  • Districts should not close school buildings unless directed to do so by local health departments. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson said, “We want to make sure that we do not close schools unless there is an imminent threat to our children and the adults who serve them, and we want to be very preventative in nature.”
  • School-related out-of-state travel for all students and staff should be canceled. Click here for more information about CCSD travel restrictions.
  • Large school gatherings, such as field trips, assemblies, activities, dances, athletic games and functions should be canceled. This includes sports activities, which the UHSAA has suspended beginning March 16th for a period of at least two weeks.
  • Schools should amplify health and hygiene prevention measures. 

Other preventative considerations for schools were given during the press conference and will be assessed by our district coronavirus task force.

Tomorrow, during our March 13th Professional Development Day, all classroom teachers will be working toward developing digital learning activities. These plans will be utilized if students are excluded from attendance or if we experience entire-school closures.

We are dependent on parents and staff to help prevent community spread in our schools. If you or your child are ill, please stay home. In regard to excluding your child from school, we respect the rights of parents to make decisions for their children as they feel appropriate. We expect that our schools will work with families to provide appropriate accommodations in light of the current circumstances. As always, students who are absent from school will be provided with opportunities to make up their learning.

Additional updates or school-specific guidance will be forthcoming as appropriate. This is a dynamic situation and circumstances will continue to evolve. Our goal is to keep our doors open for our students and families, while prioritizing the health and safety of our students and staff and following the guidance of health experts. Thank you for your support and your continued cooperation in taking the necessary precautions to keep our schools healthy and safe. Additional information can be found at www.ccsdut.org/coronavirus.