Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders announces that the ConVal School District will transition to the orange phase of the reopening plan due to an elevated COVID-19 risk level, resulting in a pause of athletic programs.
In accordance with the district’s reopening plan, all district athletic programs will be suspended indefinitely as the district’s COVID-19 risk level has risen to orange, which represents substantial transmission of the novel coronavirus. There will be no changes to academic programming, as the district had already moved to remote learning under the segmented calendar it developed as part of its reopening plan.
The School Board this evening adopted the recommendation of the district’s COVID-19 monitoring team, which tracks public health data in real time in order to allow the district to quickly adapt to the constantly evolving circumstances of the pandemic.
“I understand the disappointment our student athletes, coaches, and school communities will feel as a result of this change, but it is a step we must take given the increased risk of community transmission of COVID-19 in our area,” Superintendent Rizzo Saunders said. “Our reopening plan was designed with the likelihood of a surge in cases in the late fall and early winter in mind, so while sports programs will be temporarily interrupted, I’m grateful that we planned for a remote segment so there will not be an additional disruption to our students’ learning.”
The move to the orange phase is the result of growth in the region’s COVID-19 test positivity rate, which has surpassed 8 percent locally and 9% at the state level, as well as the increasing number of cases within the nine communities, the increase of cases within New Hampshire, and increasing pressure on the healthcare system.
The segmented calendar calls for students to return to in-person learning on Jan. 19. The District continues to plan on that return and the COVID-19 Monitoring Team will continue to watch public health metrics daily.
To view the district’s full reopening plan, click here.
To prevent further spread of the disease in the community, ConVal district leaders remind all members of the community to practice the following COVID-19 prevention strategies:
- Wear a cloth face covering that covers your mouth and nose to protect others when in public areas.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid close contact with others. When outside your home, please adhere to social distancing guidelines and keep a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Children may worry about themselves, their family and friends getting sick with COVID-19. Tips for talking to children about COVID-19 can be found here.
To learn more about COVID-19, please check these trusted resources:
- New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
- United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The ConVal School District recently urged the entire community to pledge to stay safe during the remote learning period. To learn more about the ConVal Community Pledge, click here.
