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Surry County Schools, Mount Airy City Schools extend spring breaks in response to coronavirus

The school systems extended their spring breaks from March 16, 2020 – March 20, 2020.

SURRY COUNTY, N.C. — Surry County Schools and Mount Airy City Schools have both extended spring break in response to the coronavirus.

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The school systems extended their spring breaks from March 16, 2020 – March 20, 2020.

Surry County School leaders said they will re-evaluate decisions based on the status of the coronavirus next week.

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“This is an unprecedented worldwide event that none of us have faced before. Therefore, we have been reviewing the guidance of local, state, and national health authorities provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), North Carolina Health and Human Services, and the Surry County Health and Nutrition Center,” said school leaders.

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The school district released the following information.

Our district plans for the week of March 16 - March 20 include the following:

  1. Monday, March 16, 2020, Surry County Schools will be closed for students and 10-month staff. 
  2. Tuesday, March 17 - Friday, March 20, Surry County Schools will be closed for students and will be required workdays for teachers and staff.
  3. Beginning Monday, March 16, 2020, and lasting through Friday, March 20, 2020, we will offer free lunch to students across Surry County Schools.  We will feed students ages 2 - 18 years old at Rockford Elementary, Flat Rock Elementary, Gentry Middle, and Pilot Mountain Middle from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM.  This will be provided as a drive-through service to families who wish to pick up lunches for their children. 
  4. During the required workdays and with district-level guidance, principals and teachers will work to prepare for a potentially prolonged period of distance learning (alternate instruction, online instruction, etc.) and/or the return of our students to a normal schedule.

Additionally, we are following guidance provided by the CDC on travel:

  1. Parents/guardians are asked to notify their school principal if a student or member of their family has been to a country listed on the CDC’s Level 3 Travel Health Notice list, has recently returned to our community, and has been instructed by the CDC to self-quarantine for 14 days.   
  1. Students who have traveled on a cruise ship are to limit their personal interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States and are asked to monitor their health.  These students are asked to stay at home and practice social distancing.  Please contact your school’s principal and teachers for assignments during this period.
  1. Staff members are asked to notify their school principal if they or members of their family have been to a country listed on the CDC’s Level 3 Travel Health Notice list, have recently returned to our community, and have been instructed by the CDC to self-quarantine for 14 days.  Additionally, staff members who have traveled on a cruise ship are to limit their personal interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States and are asked to monitor their health and practice social distancing. Please contact your principal for modified work assignments during this period.

Also,  since North Carolina has confirmed cases of Coronavirus, we have been and will continue to take the following steps in an effort to slow the spread of the virus and keep everyone safe and healthy:  

1.  We will continue emphasizing hand-washing and good hygiene with students and encourage you to stress these measures at home: 

  • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when sick and do not return to school until you are fever-free without the aid of fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours.
  • Cough or sneeze (covering the nose and mouth) into an elbow or use a tissue and place immediately in the trash.  Do not cough into your hand.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

2. We have been and will continue cleaning and sanitizing school buildings and buses. 

3. All out-of-district and out-of-state field trips and travel are now postponed until April 14, 2020.

4. Athletic competitions, practices, workouts, and skill development are now suspended at the high school and middle school levels from 11:59 pm on Thursday, March 12 through Monday, April 6, 2020.

5. All extracurricular school activities and events are now canceled until April 14, 2020.

6. NCASA academic competitions are now canceled and will be scheduled virtually if possible.

7. Out of district professional development sessions for teachers are now canceled and will be scheduled virtually if possible.

MOUNT AIRY CITY SCHOOLS 

Here is the breakdown of plans for the week of March 16, 2020: 

• Monday, March 16, 2020: MACS will be closed for students and 10-month staff.  

• Tuesday, March 17, 2020 - Friday, March 20, 2020: MACS will be closed for students and will be required workdays for teachers. 

• Monday, March 16, 2020 - Friday, March 20, 2020: MACS will offer free lunch to students through Tharrington Primary School. This will be curb-side pick up going through the car rider line at the front of the school.  

• Workdays will be used to prepare for possible at-home learning and/or the return of students

Decisions around this event are rapidly evolving and here is what we know as of 7:00 pm on Friday, March 13, 2020. Please note that many of these precautions are being guided by other organizations that are also striving to make the best decisions for students and our communities. We plan to follow these precautions until Tuesday, April 14, 2020, and we will re-evaluate our situation at that time. Rest assured that we will continue to work with healthcare officials throughout the duration of this event. 

• Anyone who has traveled over the break and has a fever is being asked to self-quarantine.  

• Cleaning and sanitizing of schools and buses will continue 

• In and out-of-state travel will be canceled 

• Large scale events will be canceled (ie: county chorus competition) 

• All extracurricular school activities will be canceled 

• NCASA academic competitions will be canceled or scheduled virtually depending on word from NCASA 

• Athletic competitions, practices, workouts, and skill development will be suspended at the high school and middle school levels from 11:59 pm on Friday, March 13 through Monday, April 6, 2020 (per NCHSAA) 

• After-school programming will be suspended 

• Out of district professional development for teachers will be canceled
 

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