Good afternoon Cosmos nation,
This is Dr. McLaughlin, your Superintendent of Schools.
I hope it has been a great Sunday and that you are getting outside and enjoying the snow or sitting back and watching some football. Either way, I hope that it has been a good weekend for you.
I am calling to update you on the district’s plans in relation to COVID-19. I have previously informed you that a major shift in statewide COVID protocols was coming. As the shift phases in across Vermont, schools will no longer be functioning in the testing and monitoring role for the members of our school community. Instead, that responsibility will move to families and individuals. I also let you know that our schools could not make the shift to our new role as test distributors until we received an adequate number of tests.
Well late Friday afternoon, we received a big enough shipment for us to feel safe to begin our transition. Now, we are working at the building level to finalize details about how we will distribute tests at each level. We are targeting Wednesday as the start of the new approach. Until then we will be doing a few final days of Test-to-Stay and contact tracing. Then on Wednesday, those functions will go away.
By Tuesday evening, you should hear from your child’s school about how this will work in that specific building.
This is a big shift for all of us, and it relies on each of us to rise to the occasion on behalf of all the other members of our school community.
Thanks for your time and attention. I hope you enjoy the rest of your Sunday.