2/2/21

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

We would like to share information with you regarding our return to all students in-person instruction on March 1st.  PVA will remain online for the remainder of the school year.   All mitigation strategies that we have been using such as washing/sanitizing hands frequently, masks at all times unless eating, social distancing, and cleaning of the buildings will continue. We will continue to send students/staff home as soon as possible if they exhibit signs/symptoms of COVID and ask that parents continue to be diligent in keeping children home with any COVID symptoms. 

Based on recent studies, the Governor, the Ohio Department of Health, and our Portage County Health District, have recommended a change in the quarantine definition regarding close contact. Previously any person who was closer than 6 ft. for more than 15min. to an individual diagnosed with COVID would need to quarantine for 10 days from exposure. Based on new research that concluded the transmission of the COVID virus in classrooms (where masks are being worn appropriately) was no different whether children were spaced six ft. or three ft. apart, and recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the new recommendation changes the quarantine distance from 6 ft. to 3 ft. for students grades K-12. This means that a close contact is now defined as less than 3 ft for greater than 15 min. in terms of who needs to quarantine if an exposure occurs in the classroom or on the school bus. This is only in regards to the school day. This does not apply to after school activities or sports. Quarantine will still be expected for these areas. Due to this recommendation and all the students returning in March our new goal for social distancing will be 3 ft. instead of 6ft. in the classroom. Students may be closer than this especially on the bus but we will continue to group together students from the same family. Masking of students and staff is still a requirement by the Ohio Department of Health and students will still be kept in small cohort groups as much as possible during the day to limit exposure and help with quarantine requirements when a student or staff member tests positive for COVID. 

We will continue to notify parents when a teacher or student in your child’s classroom or bus tests positive for COVID.

Please call or email our School Nurse Debbie Wyszynski at 330 654 1937, [email protected] or your child’s school administrator if you have any questions.