December 6, 2021
Dear Parents and Guardians of Park Street Elementary School and
Gibson-Neill Memorial Elementary School,
Today, we were informed of additional Covid-19 cases at both
schools. Anyone identified as a close contact
will receive a letter from Public Health with specific instructions on what to
do next. Your school principal will send this letter along with instructions on
picking up rapid tests if you don’t already have some in your possession.
The situation at Park Street Elementary is unique in that there is
a high number of cases (25 confirmed) within a short period of time.
Gibson-Neill Memorial Elementary School has fewer cases (less than 10);
however, we are watching both schools closely. Although the number of
cases contributes to the decision surrounding a move to learning from home,
other factors are considered, such as the number of classes impacted, the
impact with the school bus, and the impact with teams and/or extra-curricular
activities, as examples. We lean on guidance from Public Health when
making these important decisions on the health and safety of students and staff
at the school.
It is critical, at this time, to reinforce the
importance of following all Public Health safety measures, which include
washing hands, using sanitizer, wearing a mask, physical distancing, and
staying home, isolating, and getting tested when symptoms appear.
Please remember, if your child is showing any symptoms of
Covid-19, you should:
- Register them online for a test by
clicking “Get tested” on the GNB coronavirus website (www.gnb.ca/coronavirus). OR,
- Contact Tele-Care 811. The 811 operators
will evaluate your child before sending them for testing.
Please also remember that tomorrow, December 7, will be another
distance learning day. Your teacher and/or school administration will connect
with you with plans for learning.
We will re-assess the situation at each school tomorrow afternoon
and determine the next steps in collaboration with Public Health. Please watch
for a message from the district by the end of the day tomorrow.
Thank you for your continued co-operation as we respond to the
rise in cases at your schools.
Sincerely,
Jay Colpitts, Director of Schools for Covid Response