School districts send out letters, heed agencies
By DAVID NAHAN and KRISTEN KELLEHER/Sentinel staff
PETERSBURG – Superintendents of Cape May County schools met with the executive county superintendent Monday over concerns about the COVID-19 virus.
In the Upper Township school district, Superintendent Vince Palmieri posted a letter to parents saying if schools were closed because of the virus, the district would plan for home instruction and the state could waive the 180-day school year requirement. Similarly, the Ocean City School District said it is keeping parents informed and following the lead of state and county agencies.
Palmieri posted the letter dated March 9 on the district’s website, upperschools.org. In it, he urged parents to accept communications only from him about the situation.
Palmieri wrote that all of the county’s school superintendents met with the executive superintendent and officials from the Cape May County Department of Health to discuss COVID-19.
He wrote if the Department of Health ordered schools to close, the New Jersey Department of Education “may waive” the 180 school-day requirement “provided our district submits a plan for home instruction that would occur during the closure.
He added the Upper Township district would work with staff to create a home instruction plan accessible to all students, having opportunities for special education and related services and provide nutrition benefits for eligible students.
Palmieri said all field trips outside of the district’s three schools have been cancelled and were “unlikely to be rescheduled, but “all assemblies, dances, concerts, performances, evening events, and sporting events will remain as scheduled. However, parents will have the opportunity to pull their children from such activities and will be asked to sign-off, sooner than later, to indicate future participation.”
In addition, the district’s custodial staff is now following daily school cleanliness and disinfection protocols.
He also said he would be the “point person” for communication.
“To avoid confusion and misinformation, unless you hear it from me, consider it rumor or speculation; both of which should be ignored,” Palmieri wrote. He concluded, “While the next few months will be filled with uncertainty and apprehension, please know that I will do my best to keep you informed throughout the process. Most importantly, the health and safety and the well-being of our staff and students remain my top priorities and every decision moving forward will have this commitment at its core. I thank you in advance for your continued understanding and support.”
In a prepared statement, the Ocean City School District said it was “following the lead” of the state Department of Education, the county Health Department and the New Jersey Department of Health “regarding any recommendations and planning for an outbreak of the virus. We have been updating our district families via our social media platforms as well as providing information via our website.”
The statement also said a letter was distributed to “our district families” from Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Taylor late last week “providing precautions and preventive measures that should be followed to prepare. More information will be forthcoming and will be updated accordingly as directed by the mentioned agencies above.”
Virus, Guidelines
According to the New Jersey Department of Health website, COVID-19 is a respiratory infection. It is caused by a new virus that began in December 2019 in the area of Wuhan, China.
The earlier cases of COVID-19 are linked to a seafood and animal market.
The virus spreads largely from person-to-person contact, from people who are in close contact with each other or through respiratory droplets that are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms of the virus can appear two to 14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
According to Natalie Sendler, the Cape May County director of public health nursing, the CDC recommends anyone who has a fever or cough, or who has visited any of the five countries with virus-related travel restrictions, should call their health care provider.
“If they have symptoms, they should reach out to their health provider via phone and tell them because the health provider will determine what they should do after that,” she said last week. If the symptoms worsen, people should go to the emergency room. Sendler recommended that anyone with any type or respiratory illness, including the flu, follow the same steps. She encouraged the public to get information about the COVID-19, but not to panic.
“They don’t know how far and wide this will spread at this point, and you already see what they’re doing with some social distancing in other countries, which might or might not occur (in the United States),” she said.
At the end of February, the Cape May County Department of Health sent out information about the COVID-19 and the precautions the county is taking.
According to the information, the county Department of Health contacted health care providers and stakeholders throughout the county and provided them with regular updates and educational material, reached out to schools with information about the guidelines, hand hygiene, and more, and established a COVID-19 pamphlet on the county website.
“Presently, the current risk to the Cape May County residents of contracting this virus is considered low. Nevertheless, this department is taking proactive precautions by monitoring the situation, enhancing disease surveillance, educating and updating area healthcare providers,” Kevin Thomas, health officer, stated in the information from the county Department of Health.
“Presently, the current risk to the Cape May County residents of contracting this virus is considered low. Nevertheless, this department is taking proactive precautions by monitoring the situation, enhancing disease surveillance, educating and updating area healthcare providers,” Kevin Thomas, health officer, stated in the information from the county Department of Health.