SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The following statement has been released by Dr. Jon Segars, Superintendent of Sylacauga City Schools:
We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation through the Centers for Disease Control, the Alabama State Department of Education, and the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Our priority remains the safety of our students, our employees and our community.
Our already robust preventative measures have increased with the following steps;
- Electrostatic disinfecting of classrooms, common areas and buses
- Strict adherence to our normal high standards of cleanliness in all areas
- Providing additional cleaning supplies to schools and classrooms
- Preventative training and education for employees and students
- Posted and distributed public service announcements for protective measures
While we continue to operate in a low risk environment, I have suspended travel outside the district with the exception of the following;
- Required employee professional development and training
- Employee and student internships necessary for academic or career advancement
- Athletic events sanctioned by the Alabama High School Athletic Association
Approved activities requiring travel will continue to be monitored for safety by principals and may become more restrictive as conditions change.
I have also directed principals to suspend all assemblies to minimize gatherings larger than normal class size for the months of March and April. This includes ceremonies, dances, theatre performances, and conferences. Gatherings in classrooms, cafeterias and on buses are understandable, and we have taken extra precautions to disinfect those areas.
If a case COVID-19 is confirmed in our school community, we will cooperate with the Alabama Department of Public Health and State Department of Education to close facilities as needed until safe to return. Given the circumstances, there is no formula for how to handle make-up days. Public education in the state of Alabama is based on 1080 hours of instructional time per year, not necessarily the number of school days. If school closures occur, we will make all attempts to complete the school year within our published schedule while satisfying all academic standards for each grade level.
Flu like symptoms should be taken seriously, and our administrators will call parents or guardians to check students out of school if we detect a possible issue. Employees will also be released from work if they exhibit flu symptoms. No one will be allowed to return to school until they have been fever free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours, but we reserve the right to increase that timeline as necessary.
Finally, I want to encourage all families to exercise caution when traveling. Please stay well informed of the conditions of your travel destinations and heed the warnings provided through the Alabama Department of Public Health by viewing this link:
https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/cov-schools.html
Please continue to monitor our website at www.scsboe.org and district Facebook page at Sylacauga City Schools for updates.
