Dear W-G Parents, Students and Staff,
Governor Reynolds held a press conference today and shared new guidance related to how county health departments will make quarantine determinations. This new guidance will significantly change how contact tracing will be conducted when a positive case is reported in our district. If the case (infected person) and the close contact are both wearing masks correctly, the close contact will not need to quarantine as required in past practice.
The Dallas County Health Department (DCHD) echoed this guidance and will immediately implement this new protocol when conducting future contact tracing. As a matter of fact, we have a handful of students currently under quarantine that may be allowed to return to school as soon as tomorrow due to this change. Again, DCHD will evaluate and determine their response based on this new guidance.
Social distancing will continue to be a mitigation strategy used within our schools and serves as a tool to keep students and staff safe while in the building. This is not the time to relax on the mitigation strategies that have served us well as we’ve returned to school this fall. Social distancing coupled with handwashing and wearing masks in our schools have contributed to our ability to remain on-site this first six weeks of school. Additionally, parents keeping their child(ren) home when ill has granted us further success.
The Woodward-Granger Board of Directors have been committed to understanding and following guidance from state and county healthcare experts. This approach to mitigating the effects of COVID in Woodward-Granger Schools has served us well. We will continue to respond to information and guidance shared by state and local agencies to combat the impact of this global pandemic on our students, staff and families.
Respectfully,
Matt Adams
