September
16, 2021
Dear
Parents and Guardians of Andover Elementary School, Perth-Andover Middle
School, and Southern Victoria High School,
We
have been informed of additional positive Covid-19 cases at all three town
schools in Perth-Andover today. We are working with Public Health officials to
identify any students and school personnel who may have been in contact with
the cases.
Anyone
required to self-isolate will get a letter from Public Health with specific
instructions on what to do next. This letter will be emailed to you from your
school principal, vice-principal, or your classroom teacher. The letters are
going out tonight. If you are not contacted, your child can continue with
regular activities unless they are already self-isolating as advised by Public
Health. I will be sending letters to families of students on two
buses with a similar message. These letters will also come tonight.
Due to
the number of cases in our Perth-Andover schools and our wish to continue
learning in a safe and consistent manner, we will maintain distance learning for
all students until Friday, September 24, inclusive. Students
will not report to the school for these next six days. Instead,
your child(ren)’s teacher(s) will communicate the plan for learning with you and
follow regular schedules as closely as possible. We recognize that the
opportunity to connect with the teacher may vary among families. We ask you to
do your best to continue with learning as directed by the teachers. For the
older students, I expect this will be mostly online. For the younger
students, this may be a mix of learning packages and some online
activity. Your teachers will provide directions.
It is
my intention to write to you again early next week and at the end of next week
to provide updates.
It is
natural to want to know if your child may have been exposed to the virus but to
protect the privacy of students and school personnel, other details, including
names, will not be released.
Children
and young people look to the adults in their lives to guide them on how to
react to worrying and stressful events. Parents are encouraged to talk to their
children about any anxieties and remind them to treat one another with kindness
and respect, in person and on social media.
If
your child is showing any symptoms of Covid-19, you should:
- Register
them online for a test by clicking “Get tested” on the GNB coronavirus
website (www.gnb.ca/coronavirus). OR
- Contact
Tele-Care 811.
The
811 operators will evaluate your child before sending them for testing. If you
have questions that are health-related, please write to COVID-19NB@gnb.ca
I
appreciate your patience and commitment to student safety and learning.
Sincerely,
David
McTimoney, Superintendent