With 2021 ending with a spike of COVID-19 cases throughout the country, community and schools, Matt Block superintendent of schools, asked students and staff to safely enjoy the winter break and to get tested for COVID-19 before returning to school, which he is planning to keep full time in-person.“We intend to keep our schools open for in-person learning as much as humanly possible,” Block said in a letter to the community that is posted on the district’s web page, www.livingston.org.“We do not plan to pivot to remote learning as a pre-emptive mitigation measure,” he announced. “Having our students and staff in school every day is a top priority.”Despite the uptick of cases in the district, the number of reported positive cases is a small percentage of the school population, he noted, and there has been no evidence of an outbreak in one of the schools.The Winter BreakExcept for a few pre-scheduled events, the entire district will be closed from the afternoon of December 23 through Sunday, January 2. “Staff and students deserve time to rest, rejuvenate and reset,” said Block.The district will not respond to emails or phone calls, and will not do contact tracing for COVID-19 over the break.“Our nurses are working days, nights, and weekends to meet the demands of contact tracing,” Block said, a task made more difficult by the increased number of cases.Understanding that staff and students will travel and gather with family and friends, Block asked the community to “be careful, thoughtful, and responsible. Wear masks, wash your hands, and follow current health guidelines.” Anyone who does not feel wellAnyone who does not feel well on January 3 should stay home and not return to school until they are at least 24 hours without symptoms, he added.“If you test positive for COVID-19,” Block stated, “stay home, and call your school nurse on January 3 to plan a return to school.”Asks Students to Get TestedThe district is requesting (not requiring) that every student and staff member be tested for COVID-19 within 48 hours of returning to school.“Voluntary testing will add to our confidence for a healthy and safe first day back,” said Block. “If we all take personal responsibility over break, I believe we will all be able to return safely in 2022 and keep our schools open long term.”
