In addition to reminders to students, the district custodial staff routinely cleans and disinfects frequently touched objects and surfaces. Custodians regularly wipe surfaces down during the day, and when certain classrooms have seen a higher rate of students absent due to the flu, that classroom receives additional cleaning by the custodial staff. With the onset of COVID-19, the district will take additional cleaning measures and have added supplies on hand.
The district has been in contact with the local and state health departments, the Darke County Emergency Management Agency and has received guidance from the Ohio Department of Education and CDC. Our district safety team is meeting to review the Emergency Operations Plan in the event we need to address a local outbreak of COVID-19. As the situation unfolds, the district will provide updates to the school community.
At this time, we would ask parents to reinforce the key measures listed above for your child/children to help prevent the spread of any infectious disease. And as a reminder, students need to be fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medications before sending them back to school.
As this situation evolves, the district will maintain close contact with the appropriate officials, follow recommendations issued, and keep you informed of district plans. Our primary concern is the health and safety of our students and staff. Additional information is available at the CDC website and the Ohio Department of Health. The CDC website includes valuable resources, including resources for parents to use when talking to children about COVID-19. Those resources are also available through the following websites below.
Thank you for your continued support in keeping our students and staff safe.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. Fries
GCSD Superintendent
Access resources for the public, including how to prevent the spread of infectious diseases:
The current risk to the U.S. general public is low; however, the CDC advises all Americans to prepare for the possibility of a COVID-19 outbreak in their communities. Ohioans should stay calm, take preventive and preparation measures, stay aware of what is happening in their communities, and seek credible sources of information.