Press
Release From West Geauga Local
Schools Superintendent
Dear West
Geauga Parents/Guardians:
I met
yesterday with area public and
private school administrators
and representatives from the Geauga
County Health Department to discuss
the global coronavirus spread. The
Health Department and school
officials are monitoring the
situation closely and working to
exercise caution without fostering
alarm.
Schools are
taking precautions to slow the
spread of the new strain of
coronavirus regionally, and
we are aware of
the fact that healthy young people
generally are not at high risk for
serious complications. We are also
aware that those who
are asymptomatic and those who
experience only mild symptoms can
still spread the virus to others
who may be at greater
risk. Because the extent of the
coronavirus in Northeast Ohio is
unknown at this time, we believe
that the best course of action is to
cancel events in our school
buildings that bring large numbers
of people, particularly older adults
and those who may have compromised
immune systems, into close
proximity. For that reason, we are
restricting some large-group public
activities in our schools
from now until Spring
Break.
The
following events will be cancelled:
Kiwanis
Pancake Breakfast on
March 15, 2020
Afterprom Flea
Market on March 15, 2020
Kiwanis
Pancake Breakfast on March 22,
2020
Furthermore,
consistent with Health Department
guidance, we are restricting travel
to destinations that might expose
our students to increased risks of
infection. For that reason, we are
cancelling sixth
grade camp,
the seventh grade
trip to Columbus, and
the eighth grade
trip to Washington, D.C.
Although we expect, and the Health
Department concurs, that the
coronavirus will hit Geauga County
in the near future, we do not wish
to heighten and/or accelerate our
students' risk of exposure by
sending our
students and staff on
overnight stays or to large urban
centers. Mr. Dahlhofer, Middle
School Principal, will be providing
parents of middle school students
with additional information.
If further
cancellations become necessary
as the school year progresses,
we will notify you. We know that we
cannot prevent this new strain of
the coronavirus from hitting our
community, but we want to lessen its
impact when it does.
Sincerely,
Rich
Markwardt
Richard A.
Markwardt, Ph.D.
Superintendent
of Schools
Pancake Breakfast
Chairman Named