PCS Superintendent Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update
Nov. 26, 2021
Good evening! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We are nearing the end of November. The end of the first semester is less than a month away right now.
On Mon., Nov. 8, our Board of Education approved a revised 2021-2022 PCS Calendar that you can view by clicking HERE. Please note the changes on Nov. 24 (no students or staff), as well as planning days without students on Dec. 17, Mar. 21, and Apr. 19. Nov. 29 was previously approved by our Board of Education as a planning day without students. Click HERE to read the draft minutes of the Board of Education meeting.
On Tue., Nov. 9, in collaboration with the Sarpy/Cass Health Department, PCS hosted a vaccination clinic. We had approximately 125 people participate in the two-hour event.
Our next clinic is scheduled for Tue., Nov. 30 from 5 PM to 7 PM. We plan to be at Plattsmouth Middle School.
At this time, we plan to have the following vaccine options.
Please consult with your health provider. Do what is best for you and your family.
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021. The ARP Act includes nearly $122 billion for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) III Fund that allows state and local education agencies (LEAs) to take additional steps for continued safe in-person instruction and to address unfinished teaching and learning to mitigate the pandemic. The ESSER III funding enables Nebraska school districts to promote safe school operations and equity-driven, sustainable, evidence-based programs to serve students – especially those who are the furthest from opportunity – and to continue to strengthen teaching and learning. PCS was eligible for $1,505,865 of ESSER III funds.
In order to be eligible for ESSER III funding, Nebraska school districts had to submit an amendment to our ARP application by Sept. 15, 2021. Prior to submitting the application, we requested your input relative to the potential uses of the funds.
Thank you to everyone that provided input regarding the potential uses of ESSER III funds at PCS. I am pleased to inform you that we were able to incorporate many of the items in our amendment including updated curriculum materials, professional development for staff members, Clifton Strengths training and support for staff members, bleachers on the east side of the high school stadium, new activity buses and sport utility vehicles, staff dependent care, staff COVID-19 emergency leave (many districts no longer offer this to employees), renovation of the outdoor middle school concession stand to include restrooms, personal protective equipment, interactive technological devices, furniture and equipment, music risers, and musical instruments. If you do not see a specific item, it might be included in one of these broad categories or it might be obtained through other available funding sources
Additionally, I am pleased to inform you that our amendment was approved by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). That is great news!
Business manager Tonda Haith and I will continue meeting with the Board of Education’s Finance Committee to develop a plan and timeline for spending the funds. Unfortunately, we must pay for the items and wait for reimbursement to arrive later. With other ARP funds, this has taken up to eight months for NDE to process the reimbursement request and transfer funding to our district.
Since we are already accessing a line of credit for our usual general fund expenses, we will have to be very strategic about spreading our ESSER III expenditures over the next two fiscal years. For instance, we plan to expend approximately $1 mil. in the 2021-2022 fiscal year from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, with the additional amount of about $505,865 being spent in the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
We understand that people might want to purchase many items right away. However, due to our cash position, everyone will need to be patient while Mrs. Haith, the Finance Committee, and I develop a plan for strategic expenditure of the funds over the next two fiscal years while considering our varying cash flow.
Thank you, again, for providing your input for our amendment. Stay tuned to future Superintendent Updates for the latest information relative to ESSER III.
OPAA! continues to experience some disruptions in food service deliveries. They are working to ensure we have quality food for our students with available products. Menus might look different, depending on the availability of certain items. Please click HERE to read the October 2021 update from OPAA!
At this time, the communication about positive cases at PCS will look a little different than last year. When there is a positive case, the building(s) associated with the positive student or staff member plan to send letters to individuals that are deemed “exposed” to the positive person. I do not plan to send a district-wide message every time there is a positive case. As previously noted, buildings will send letters to individuals that are deemed exposed to the positive individual.
Please click HERE to see a document with guidance relative to an individual that has been exposed to a positive person, testing, and readmittance of ill students and staff with no known COVID-19 exposure. We will continue to collaborate with the Sarpy/Cass Health Department. This is our approach at this time. However, guidance can change as we receive additional information. Thank you for your support.
The PCS data below includes positive case percentages for students and staff members in our school district from the start of the 2021-2022 school year. The information includes individuals that have been positive for COVID-19 at any point during this school year. Cumulative data from the entire 2020-2021 school year is included in parentheses next to each item.
Students only
Early childhood/Head Start – 1.89% (0.93%)
K-4 Elementary – 7.52% (2.09%)
5-8 Middle School – 4.77% (5.45%)
9-12 High School – 4.43% (9.22%)
All students 5.19% (5.36%)
Staff only (including contracted service providers for nutrition services and transportation) – 8.67% (13.00%)
Combined students and staff – 5.76% (6.68%)
If you or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to a positive person, please notify the building principal or nurse at the building where your child is enrolled in school. Prompt communication will help us respond in a timely manner to help limit the spread of the virus.
Thank you to everyone that provided input relative to our 2020-2021 COVID-19 protocols and items for consideration in the development of our 2021-2022 PCS Plan for Safe Return to School that is available by clicking the link below.
2021-2022 PCS Plan for Safe Return to School
On Sept. 2, 2021, our safety team met to review data and input relative to our COVID-19 plan including, but not necessarily limited to, information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors, the Sarpy/Cass Health Department, the Nebraska School Activities Association, and local information. Our safety team includes certified and non-certified staff members from our early childhood center, elementary school, middle school, and high school including administrators, nurses, school social workers/licensed mental health practitioners, school psychologists, Plattsmouth Education Association representatives, before and after school program directors, our nutrition services director, our transportation location manager, maintenance, and our school resource officer(s). Our team unanimously decided to continue with the implementation of the green level protocols in our plan, with modifications to two protocols: Touch Surface Cleaning (i.e. classrooms) and Masks. The revised language for these protocols at the green level is as follows was effective starting on Tue., Sept. 7, 2021.
Touch Surface Cleaning (i.e. classrooms)-Desks are to be cleaned between each period (i.e. elementary every other hour - MS and HS during passing periods). Custodial staff clean frequently touched surfaces throughout the day and restrooms will be cleaned during the day and in the evening. Employees are responsible for implementation of all cleaning protocols.
Masks-Face coverings would be optional, except that in PreK-4th grade, if there is a positive COVID-19 case within a classroom, staff and students in that classroom will be required to wear a mask for 14 days.
Our safety team met on Thu., Nov. 4, 2021 and decided to continue with our current protocols. The next safety team meeting is scheduled for Thu., Dec. 2, 2021.
Click HERE to provide feedback relative to our 2021-2022 PCS Plan for Safe Return to School. Thank you for your support of the Plattsmouth Community Schools!
1. Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services - Novel Coronavirus: Schools Guidance
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools
Update from July 30, 2021:
Click HERE for a document from the Douglas County Health Department, Sarpy/Cass Health Department, and the Three Rivers Public Health Department (Dodge, Saunders, and Washington counties) with general guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19 in schools during the 2021-2022 school year. These three health departments support school districts in the Educational Service Unit (ESU) #3 area.
Click HERE for a document from the Nebraska School Activities Association (NSAA). The document includes guidance for Fall 2021 activities.
State of Nebraska (Governor Pete Ricketts)
https://governor.nebraska.gov/
Nebraska Department of Education (Commissioner Dr. Matt Blomstedt)
Sarpy/Cass Health Department (Director Sarah Schram)
https://www.sarpycasshealthdepartment.org/
Plattsmouth Community Schools (Superintendent Dr. Richard E. Hasty)
Current data from the SCHD dashboard is available at https://bit.ly/2UOksXz. The SCHD updated the format they use to present active cases. We can longer see only active cases in our school district boundaries.
As of Wed., Nov. 24, 2021, there were 117 active cases in Cass County compared to 153 on Friday of last week.
Let's maintain a laser-like focus on mitigation strategies!
Effective for the 2021-2022 School Year, the Plattsmouth Community Schools will serve meals at no charge to enrolled students. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the use of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO), which allows local school districts to provide no-cost meals to all enrolled students for the duration of the 2021-2022 school year.
The new school year requires a new meal application. Although school meals will be provided at no cost to all children, school funding depends on completed meal applications. It is important to submit a completed SY2021-2022 meal application as soon as possible.
https://plattsmouthne.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/plattsmouth.jsp
If you have questions, please contact PCS food service administrative assistant Rhonda Salazar at rsalazar@pcsd.org.
The entire notice and USDA Non-Discrimination Statement relative to school meals are available by clicking HERE.
Are you looking for locations to obtain a COVID-19 test? Information about COVID-19 test locations is available at https://www.sarpycasshealthdepartment.org/novel-coronavirus#Testing.
Vaccine information is included below from the SCHD. If you have questions about vaccines relative to you or your child, please consult your physician.
If you want a vaccination, please come to our clinic listed earlier in this message, use the resources below to schedule your appointment, or contact the Sarpy/Cass Health Department toll-free at 800-645-0134.
Sarpy and Cass residents at least 12 years of age are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. To receive the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you must be at least 18 years old on the day of your appointment. To the receive Pfizer vaccine, you must be at least 12 years old on the day of your appointment. Anyone under the age of 19 who wishes to receive a COVID-19 vaccine must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the time of the vaccination appointment. You can view a list of community vaccinators at www.sarpycasshealthdepartment.org/myturn, and view the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program clinics at www.vaccinefinder.org.
Let’s continue to be vigilant in our effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Thank you for your support of the Plattsmouth Community Schools. #PLATTSMOUTHSTRONG
Best regards,
Superintendent Dr. Richard E. Hasty
One School, Three Academies
Plattsmouth High School is a nationally recognized wall-to-wall academy high school. Every high school student has the opportunity to participate in one of three academies located on a single campus.
ATEAM – Architecture/construction, transportation/logistics, environment/agriculture, art, and manufacturing
BEACH – Business/marketing/management, education, AV technology/fine arts, communications, and human services/hospitality
STEAM – Science, technology, engineering, aeronautics, and mathematics
Click HERE to see Plattsmouth High School's three academies listed among a group of nationally recognized career academies across the United States.
Click HERE for a brief slideshow that showcases our new career and technical education (CTE) addition to our high school campus that will support expanded opportunities for students in the culinary arts, agriculture education, woods/home construction, welding/metals /manufacturing, CNC, and auto/diesel transportation.
If you would like more information about our career academies or would like a tour of our facilities and opportunities available for your child, please contact High School Principal Mr. Todd Halvorsen (thalvorsen@pcsd.org) or Superintendent Dr. Richard E. Hasty (rhasty@pcsd.org). Thank you for your support of the Plattsmouth Community Schools.
Campus Parent Portal will have a new look beginning July 9th. When you log into your parent portal it will look different. See below for instructions on how to navigate through your new portal. Remember to download the new app. The old app will be removed from the app store soon.
If you still need to register your student, click on the tab For Parents then Infinite Campus. Once you have logged into your portal, select “MORE” from the dropdown menu on the left-hand side of your portal page to access the Online Registration link. Click on “Online Registration” to begin.
Thank you to everyone that provided input into our PCS strategic planning process. Click the title above for more information.
