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!