Hello,
We have just wrapped up the first quarter and Parent Teachers Conferences were a great success! Thank you for attending and/or contacting your teacher(s) regarding your child’s progress! I want to thank you and the teachers for everyone’s efforts to keep our kids in school and learning! COVID-19 has definitely been a challenge, but so far we are adjusting and adapting and doing well!
I want to give you a quick update on our journey with COVID-19 for the first nine weeks and let you know that we had zero students or staff members test positive during the first nine weeks of school. A small number of students were placed on quarantine during the first nine weeks, because of being a direct contact with someone who had tested positive. We are working hard to continue these numbers. I want to reinforce the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, and appropriate hygiene at all times.
Our “Return to School” Committee meets regularly to discuss our current protocols and to plan for future events. I want to thank this committee, which consists of our school nurses, food service, teachers, administration and board members. Please note that Hershey Public Schools has its own risk dial. Our own risk dial is currently set at “Orange”. The administration utilizes information from West Central District Health Department’s risk dial and we also meet weekly with them to keep abreast of our area. The administration also meets weekly with area Superintendents, and bi-weekly with the Nebraska Department of Education to understand trends or any new DHM’s or other protocols which are COVID-19 related. Our “Return to School” Committee will begin meeting bi-weekly during the winter months. Part of what this committee will do, will be to determine indicators that would need to be in place for the school to be in the RED portion of our own risk dial.
The start of this school year has been unlike any we have experienced before. It has created some stress and anxiety of the unknown, but I am supremely proud of the students and staff at Hershey Public Schools. We have protocols in place to keep people safe and they are being followed on a regular basis, making sure we are able to keep students and staff in school. We also appreciate the attention to safety observed by families outside of school, further solidifying our students’ opportunities at face-to-face education and activities. While this school year is anything but normal, the more “normal” experiences we can provide, the less stressful the school year will be. Thank you to all the parents for your understanding of our expectations and continuing to reinforce those outside of school. Go Panthers!
Mrs. Jane Davis
Superintendent