If the county health department determines that your child has been in close contact (meaning closer than 6 feet for a cumulative of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period), the health department, or one of our school administrators, will call you within 24 hours and provide you with quarantine instructions. If you are given quarantine instructions, your child will need to stay home for any in-person instructional days during the quarantine period, starting with the date of exposure. Your child will have full access to our virtual instructional program during this time.

Parents, students and staff will be notified if any new positive COVID-19 case cause a change to our daily school schedule. Our custodial staff continue to disinfect our buildings daily to prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and other germs. The health and safety of everyone in our buildings is our top priority.

We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage parents and students to continue following the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

• Staying home when you are sick;

• Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;

• Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;

• Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks and utensils;

• Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);

• Wearing a face covering while in school; and

• Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.

As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant in your approach to dealing with this health concern. If you have any questions about COVID-19 symptoms, or any other concerns for you or your child, please consult your physician. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact our school liaisons with the health department, NHHS – Mr. Robert Pellechio, Assistant Principal, at 908-713-4199 ext. 6430, or VHS – Mrs. Jessica Cantagallo-Rohm, Assistant Principal, at 908-638-2199 ext. 7351. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES

1. NJDOH Statewide Weekly COVID-19 Activity Reports: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/statistics/covid/

2. NJDOH COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for K-12 Schools

3. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml

4. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

5. Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms- testing/symptoms.html

6. Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html; https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing

7. How to Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting- sick/prevention.html

8. What to Do if You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps- when-sick.html