Skip to main content

COVID-19 and Gibbon Public Schools

 Since March 16, 2020, Gibbon Public Schools, like all schools across the nation, has grappled with COVID-19 and the challenges of ensuring quality educational experiences continue to be delivered to students.  Remote learning, alternate learning environments, face masks, hand sanitizers, and Return to School Protocols have become the new normal.

From the school’s perspective, we have realized a minor impact on the number of students and staff placed in quarantine or who have tested positive for COVID-19.  At this time, we have had just one staff member test positive and there have been five students test positive for COVID-19.  Currently, we have 17 students home in quarantine and who attend school via ZOOM.  Although the school district has seen positive cases, we can definitely claim these cases are not traced back to the school.  We can confidently say folks were exposed to the virus through relatives or when attending special events such as weddings.  

Recently, we received information from the Two Rivers Public Health Department that offered a look at new COVID-19 case numbers for Buffalo County beginning on October 17th and running through Monday, October 26th.  The numbers are alarming.  On October 17th there were 62 new cases.  On Monday, October 26th, there were an additional 23 new cases of COVID-19.  To paint a different picture, between the 17th of October and the 23rd of October, there were 323 new cases.  

I thought, wow, I wonder what the number of cases looked like when we began the school year.  So, I went back to the start of school to review the number of new COVID-19 Cases.  Beginning on August 1st and running through September 1st I found a similar trend.  On August 1st there were 7 new cases.  On September 1st, there were 8 new cases.  However, the alarming information lies in the monthly totals.  Between August 1st and September 1st, there were 358 new cases of COVID-19.  

This information confirms what the Three Rivers Public Health Department has stated time and again.  The number of cases continues to grow in Buffalo County, and this alarming trend highlights a need to remain diligent to exercising the appropriate precautions that help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  The district will continue to require facemasks, use hand sanitizers, and take temperature checks twice per day.  These precautions have been helpful in preventing the spread of COVID-19 while keeping our students and staff safe in school.  

Please be aware that the Nebraska Schools Activities Association (NSAA) recently published new guidelines for winter sports indicating another significant shift with precautions for winter sports and activities.  We can share the NSAA has identified the following four requirements for all winter season contests:

  1. Participants are permitted, but not required, to wear face coverings during competition.
  2. Coaches and non-active participants are required to wear face coverings at all times.
  3. Spectators are required to wear face coverings at all times while attending indoor events.
  4. Host school requirements must be the same for all schools, officials, judges, and spectators.

NSAA offers additional recommendations the school district will consider for all winter activities.  The school district asks for patience and grace while we review the information found in the new District Health Measures, new NSAA guidelines, and as we monitor the number of new COVID-19 cases as we consider a more stringent approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19.  

Please go to our new website to find updates and locate additional information about the school’s protocols.  Here is the link to our new website – https://www.gibbonpublic.org/ 

Go Buffaloes!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Access to the School Facility

I was recently made aware of Facebook posts claiming the school district is not allowing representatives of the community to use the school facility. This claim is highly inaccurate and using social media to make posts of this nature creates confusion, frustration and sometimes anger that unfortunately places the school district in a negative light with the community. This version of SUPTs On is intended to address this false information. I’ve listed several “FACTS” that supported the district’s decision to tighten up safety and security through a keyless entry system and a facility use form. FACT: Given events that have occurred internationally, nationally, and within the state of Nebraska, we can no longer ignore the reality that violence can occur in our community or in our school district at any time. Think back to this past summer when an incident that involved a shooting occurred in Gibbon. This reality demands a practice and the commitment to co...
Post a Comment
Read more

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 t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Professional Development

Providing ongoing training for educators is absolutely critical to building knowledge and skill in the use of technology, curriculum development, instructional practices, classroom management, and keeping abreast with changes to federal and state accountability measures. Time is required to provide training experiences so educators can build these skills, and time is necessary for teachers to collaborate with their peers on effective practice. Gibbon Public School’s has implemented a concept called Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to provide that needed time. Experts and researchers have identified PLCs as a powerful school improvement strategy that improves student achievement, increases the level of academic performance expected for all students identifies interventions to help students who struggle, and provides enrichment opportunities for students who have already experienced academic success. Implementing PLCs is a journey and Gibbon Public Schools has begun our jo...
Post a Comment
Read more