West Columbia, SC – Lexington County School District Two has sent students’ parents or guardians a message detailing their response to the Coronavirus and any changes in the everyday activities of the busy and growing school district. Here’s what they are doing to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments and to assess possible changes to Lexington Two schools and district operations that take place on a day-to-day basis.
In an e-mail sent to The Lexington Ledger and their students' parents or guardians, the District said they continue to work closely with the Centers for Disease Control and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) to stay informed. They said they will implement any further recommendations from those agencies and share information with their employees, students, families and the wider Lexington Two community.
At the time that their letter was distributed, the state of South Carolina had several confirmed cases of the virus. That number continues to grow as medical experts continues to investigate other reports. For the latest updates from DHEC, go to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
For convenience, Lexington Two has made a list of any changes they have already implemented to protect their schools and all associated staff.
SCHOOL STATUS: All schools and district facilities are currently operating on normal schedules.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING IN SCHOOLS: Right now, their custodial staff is continuing to thoroughly clean and disinfect schools and district facilities as part of their daily routine. They are using their flu-season protocols and EPA-approved products. They also continue to emphasize healthy habits among employees, students and families to help prevent the spread of germs and respiratory illnesses. That includes washing hands often for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; covering coughs and sneezes; and staying home when you’re sick.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND FIELD TRIPS: As of Thursday, March 12, there have been no cancellations of regularly scheduled athletic events or club activities because of the Coronavirus. This is something they are assessing daily, in conjunction with guidance and recommendations from the SC High School League, DHEC, the governor’s office and health officials. Any information regarding cancellations, postponements or delays will be communicated directly by schools and the district.
However, they have made some modifications regarding student activities:
-- They have asked coaches/advisors of clubs and athletic teams to advise student participants to avoid handshakes, high fives, fist-bumps and the like, and to instead offer a verbal greeting or a “good game” at the conclusion of an event. They also have asked them to remind students about healthy habits like hand washing.
-- In their elementary schools, they continue to emphasize healthy habits as key in preventing the spread of germs. They also are asking teachers to emphasize to children to avoid high fives, hugs and other contact in favor of positive words, smiles and the like. They ask their families to help us by reinforcing this message at home too!
-- They have reviewed a list of already-approved student field trips through the end of the school year. Out of an abundance of caution, they have cancelled some of those involving out-of-town and out-of-state student travel. They will continue to assess those scheduled at later dates to determine their course of action if the virus spreads further and more aggresively in South Carolina. They also are reviewing upcoming in-town field trips and are evaluating those based on guidance and recommendations from local and state health officials. In some cases, the hosting organizations are cancelling events out of an abundance of caution. As always, parents reserve the right to limit their children's participation in field trips due to concerns.
-- They have suspended until further notice a high school program for community-based training at area hospitals.
SPRING BREAK: At this time, they have no plans to cancel, change or expand spring break. The current dates are April 6-10.
EMERGENCY OPERATING PLANS: As they continue reviewing their emergency operating plans, they are fortunate to have 1:1 mobile devices for students and the eLearning program as options to continue school lessons remotely.
LEXINGTON TWO OFFERS DAILY UPDATES: Finally, as previously shared, the District continue to update daily this document, posted to their district and school websites. That site has Coronavirus information and links about prevention, symptoms and risks. They are sending weekly notices to their parents through the schools as well. They will continue to add new information from the SC Department of Education, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, US Centers for Disease Control, and other agencies. They encourage you to share this information widely within your communities.
HEALTHY HABIT REMINDERS
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Check out these useful CDC tips about when and how to wash hands: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
Avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
Cough or sneeze into your elbow or use a tissue and throw it away after use.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Avoid contact with sick people.
If your child complains about not feeling well, please check the child’s temperature before sending him/her to school. If your child has a fever of 100 degrees or more before you give him/her Tylenol, Motrin or some other appropriate fever-reducing medication, keep your child at home. Please remember, too, that your child should be fever-free for 24 hours before he/she returns to school.
RESOURCES
The District has provided a number of helpful resources on the internet that should help you stay informed about the Corona virus and how to treat in. The entire resource list is below:
What you need to know about Coronavirus (COVID-19): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
Coronavirus and Children: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/children-faq.html
Talking with students of all ages about Coronavirus: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/coronavirus.html?ET_CID=20200304_SN_BreakingNews_Coronavirus_EC_RET_28199&ET_RID=1086051370
CDC: How to prepare for a health emergency: https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/prepareytheirhealth/index.html
CDC: How and when to wash hands: https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html
What to do if you are sick with Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/steps-when-sick.html
