In response to our update earlier today (3/12/20), we’ve heard from several of you regarding absences and quarantines for students and employees.
Absences: We will work to give grace as much as possible to students who are absent from school because parents choose to keep them home as a precaution at this time. We are seeking guidance on the District’s ability to temporarily suspend state regulated policies such as our attendance policy.
Quarantine: A quarantine is a restriction of movement intended to prevent the spread of disease. This restriction includes ALL individuals in the same household who have been in contact with someone in their household who has traveled on a cruise ship or out of the country.
Please remember this is a rapidly, evolving situation, and our school district is on 24-hr alert. The health, safety and well-being of our students and staff are our top priorities. At this time, public health officials have not recommended school closure. Should that change, we will follow their recommendation.
Please understand there are many implications and consequences for widespread or long-term public school closure. The Mississippi Department of Education and state legislature have significant oversight of public schools as they determine course credit and student graduation requirements, enforce compulsory attendance laws, hold districts and their staff to accountability standards and regulate all funding. Decisions regarding public health, social distancing and continuity of services should be made consistently and systemically across the K12 system, not randomly and without attention to the impact it will have for students and communities. We are carefully collaborating and cooperatively working to get direction and understanding so that we can make the best decision.
We understand you have a lot of questions, and we are working to answer them. Please bear with us.
Thank you in advance for supporting our efforts to help protect the health of our school community.