Archived News Item

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update 3/13/2020 4PM

Posted: 3/13/2020

ALL PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED FOR 10 BUSINESS DAYS NCS is committed to the health and safety of our families and staff. There are no known exposures at the school and we are being proactive to ensure the best health of the students. Please read the following news article: Today, Governor Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools will be closed for 10 business days effective Monday, March 16. The administration has been working with school districts as well as state and local officials to gather input on this decision. The Wolf Administration will continue to monitor Covid-19 in the commonwealth, and at the end of 10 days will reevaluate and decide whether continued closure is needed. Governor Wolf made the following statement: We understand that these are trying times and recognize the impact of the coronavirus on our students and communities. First and foremost, my top priority as governor - and that of our education leaders - must be to ensure the health and safety of our students and school communities. As such, I am ordering that all schools in the commonwealth close for the next two weeks. Be aware that no school district will be penalized if it fails to meet the 180 day or school hours requirements. The Department of Education will work with intermediate units and other stakeholders to support school districts with any continuity of learning plans they may be pursuing. Also, the Pennsylvania Department of Education announced today that it received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to allow eligible schools to serve meals to low income students in a non-congregate setting, such as a drive-through or grab and go, during this closure. We will also work with schools to assist them with those plans. We appreciate your collaboration as we work together to deal with this difficult issue. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has not issued specific guidance on the prevention of the coronavirus in schools, we would like to share with you general guidance offered by the CDC. Continue to check the school website for updates. According to the CDC, the symptoms of someone infected with the coronavirus include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear anywhere from two to 14 days after an individual has been exposed to the virus. It can be spread through sneezing and coughing, as well as by touching an object or surface containing the virus. The CDC has set forth the following guidance regarding prevention of the coronavirus:

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Follow CDC's recommendations for using a face mask. Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others. The use of face masks is also crucial for health workers and people who are taking care of someone in close settings (at home or in a healthcare facility).
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the restroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water when hands are visibly dirty.

In addition to the above guidelines, we encourage you to stay home when you or your child (ren) are sick so that we do not run the risk of infecting others. The cleaning products we use in our school should be effective in killing the coronavirus. It is also suggested that Lysol spray and disinfecting wipes should be effective in killing the virus as well. More information on the coronavirus can be found on the CDC's website here. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the school office.