Harwood Unified Union School District superintendent Brigid Nease has written an extensive communication to the school community detailing how the first week of school went and how the district plans to proceed going forward as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 surges in Vermont.
Nease wrote that some school campuses may be have to be closed and some students will be attending school without full staff, but where they can be safe, warm and fed so their parents can work. There may be more study halls, projects, games, movies, sledding and more, Nease explained, and classes may double up or change locations. Parents can also expect disruptions in the busing schedule.
Nease acknowledged that the new Agency of Education guidelines that were revealed Friday night are advisory and not mandatory because Vermont is no longer in a state of emergency.
"It is important to remember that we are not in an official state of emergency. As such, any guidance we receive is advisory and should be considered as recommendations. Each district throughout the state will carefully consider the guidance. Our HUUSD team will follow the science, but also make our own changes and adjustments to more closely reflect our needs and current state as represented by our actual data, with input from the larger community. Stay tuned for HUUSD-published revised pandemic protocols later in the week," Nease wrote.
She also provided the following information on COVID-19 cases as well as vaccination levels in the district:
- In HUUSD from the months of August through November, HUUSD has 37 total positive cases in staff and students. In December, 107 were reported (the actual number to be higher since schools were on break) and from January 1 - 7, in one week 38 were positive.
- Of the 38 positive cases at close of day Friday, January 7, 2022, five were staff and 33 students. 23 in total were infectious while at school, and 15 were not.
- While vaccination data changes daily, approximately 76.11% of eligible HUUSD students are fully vaccinated, with middle and high school having the most eligible students for the longest period of the time at highest levels - CBMS at 83.9% and HUMS/HUHS at 87.29%. As of
- December 7, 2021 98.5% of staff were fully vaccinated. Booster information is being updated.
Read the full letter: https://huusd.org/blog/impt-from-superintendent-january-9-2022-message
