Monday November 29 and Tuesday November 30 — 2-hour delay to the start of classes

As we prepare for the upcoming break, we want to share with you the district's plan for delayed start of school on November 29 when we return from Thanksgiving in response to the COVID-19 spread in Grant County. Silver Schools realizes that during the Thanksgiving Holiday individuals will gather with close family, friends and possibly people outside of the immediate household. To reduce the potential of spreading the virus, on Monday November 29 and Tuesday November 30, we will have a late school start; classes will have a late 2-hour delay to the start of the school/work day to ensure that your child is not unknowingly positive with Covid-19. We are inviting students, parents and staff who are interested, to take advantage of our free Rapid Antigen testing sites at the Central Office or at Cliff Schools from 7:00am – 10:00am.

If you or your child have symptoms, (recently manifesting like allergies, cough, fever, fatigue, loss of taste or smell etc.) do not come to school without first visiting with your physician, or getting a Covid-19 test, and the results indicating that you are negative.

There are a couple of indisputable facts that we should not ignore:
• We are currently seeing another spike in positive cases and hospitalizations in Grant County.
• It is increasingly more difficult to find substitutes for our classrooms and departments as a result of Covid-19's impact.
• Burnout among health care professionals, because of the number of cases, is causing a shortage of help at our medical facilities.

We can do our part by looking out for one another. Please consider taking the following measures If you gather with people outside of your immediate household:

1. Wear a mask or face covering when individuals who are not immediate family are present indoors.
2. Avoid contact within 3 - 6 feet to the greatest extent possible. Realistically, this may be unlikely as to this being a time of year to gather and enjoy one another's company. But it is a safety measure to be considered.
3. Wash hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
4. If possible, take advantage of outdoor spaces.
5. If you are traveling/gathering with individuals who are not immediate family members, undergo a Covid-19 test prior to leaving, or at least several days after returning home.

Silver Schools will close our testing site Wednesday Nov. 24 through Sunday Nov. 28 and will resume our Test to Stay and Volunteer Surveillance Testing Site on Monday 29.

Monday November 29 and Tuesday November 30 we will have a delayed school start; classes will have a two-hour delay for the opportunity for Covid-19 testing. Staff will need to report no later than 2 hours from your regular start time. Seventy-seven percent of parents & staff who responded to our recent survey indicated their support for this additional safety measure. All decisions regarding delayed openings and emergency closings will continue to be made with the safety of our students and staff remaining top priority. Please stay safe and enjoy your holiday.

Sincerely,
Mr. Hawkins
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William D. Hawkins
Silver Consolidated Schools Superintendent