Special to Iredell Free News
Iredell-Statesville Schools officials announced Wednesday that the district will suspend all school related out-of-county travel for staff and students beginning Tuesday, March 17, until further notice.
This does not include athletics at this time. The district is awaiting guidance from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) in regard to athletic events.
Currently, the school district is on spring break. School will be back in session on Tuesday morning, March 17.
“Iredell-Statesville Schools realizes that NC is at a critical juncture in the course of the coronavirus (COVID-19),” the district said in a news release. “Steps are being taken to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and to protect those who are at-risk.”
Upon the return to school on March 17, school nurses, teachers and administration will continue to instruct students on proper hand washing and hygiene protocol. The I-SS custodial department has a hospital grade disinfectant that is used districtwide to routinely clean surfaces, including but not limited to door handles, water fountains, furniture and other areas of the school that require attention. Custodians throughout the district have increased the cleaning of surfaces and high traffic areas.
Staff will be further advised of the following best practices:
● Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
● Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
● Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
● Stay home when sick.
● Cough or sneeze into the elbow or use a tissue and place immediately in the trash.
● Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
If your child shows signs of illness, including fever and/or respiratory symptoms, please do not send your child to school. If you have traveled outside of the United States over spring break, please contact the COVID-19 Helpline toll free at 1-866-462-3821 for further direction regarding your civic duty to reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you have questions about attendance, please contact your school administration.
It is the desire of district administration to keep you informed about the coronavirus. The district has convened a COVID-19 Task Force to meet routinely to discuss this fluid and ever-changing situation. Should further precautions need to be taken, I-SS will report them immediately.
LEARN MORE
Until that time, please feel free to visit the following websites to learn more on this topic.
♦ www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
♦ https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/diseases/2019nCoV.html
If you have questions or concerns, call the COVID-19 Helpline toll free at 1-866-462-3821. To submit questions online, go to www.ncpoisoncontrol.org and select “chat.”