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The Approach to Public Concern Over Corona Virus

Gibbon Nation,

I am confident you have had several opportunities to listen to multiple news reports on the Coronavirus Outbreak, and I am also confident folks have many questions about how your school district is responding to this crisis.  This version of SUPTs On is intended to share the district’s approach to this public concern.

This past Sunday, every superintendent in the state of Nebraska participated in a video-conference call with the Commissioner of Education to learn more about the outbreak, specifics associated with the virus, and how school districts across the state of Nebraska are responding to a particular incident.  These conference calls will occur each Sunday until we have weathered this particular storm.

Today, superintendents from school districts across Central Nebraska, met at Educational Service Unit #10 in Kearney to visit with Jeremy Eschliman, the Health Director at Two Rivers Public Health Department.  During this meeting, I recommended that area superintendents (Kearney, Gibbon, Ravenna, Shelton, Wood River, Ord, Loup City and many others) participate in a weekly video-conference to stay abreast of recent developments connected to the virus itself, hear how the virus has impacted their respective school district, and discuss how each district intends to respond to every case involving COVID-19.  We agreed, that by keeping each other informed, we will collectively make better decisions for the entire region.

In Gibbon, we are taking the following actions –

• Attempt to maintain a sense of normalcy for our students, staff, and community,
• Monitor news reports and follow the spread of Coronavirus,
• Collaborate with Twin Rivers Public Health Department, and other school districts, for the purpose of staying abreast of recent developments and learn more about the impact of Coronavirus,
• Encourage folks to take steps to protect themselves (those can be found in the link provided below),
• Urge that students and staff stay home when they have symptoms that include fever, shortness of breath, coughs, and sneezes, and
• Share information and coordinate response with Lonna Pickel at Little Buffs Adventure Center.

Please go to the following links to learn more about Coronavirus, COVID-19

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.education.ne.gov/

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