*******You will be able to find all of the guidance from KSB School Law, and it will be updated, at this site: https://www.ksbschoollaw.com/covid19*******
If you’ve caught the news, hopped on Twitter, or checked your email this week you know that more cases of COVID-19, commonly referred to as the coronavirus, are being reported worldwide. As a result, schools are being urged again to review their preparedness for outbreaks of communicable disease. Fortunately, most schools already have policies in place that allow them to effectively respond to a pandemic. Additionally, schools can look to their state educational agency for support in responding to this issue. For example, we’ve been communicating with the Nebraska Department of Education, which is working closely with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to make resources and support readily available. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is already providing the public its most up-to-date information at this site.
With this foundation in place, the best thing you can do is keep calm, and use this opportunity to review your policies, consider your implementing procedures, and reassure your school community that you are monitoring the situation and prepared to respond as appropriate.
Check Your Policies and Procedures
Most schools will already have policies in place that authorize school officials to exclude students, close school, or take other appropriate actions to respond to an outbreak of communicable disease. For our policy service subscribers, policies 3013 Emergency Closings, 3048 Communicable Diseases, and 6031 Emergency Exclusion provide this authority to the superintendent. Policy 3048 Communicable Disease, best summarizes the superintendent’s authority and responsibility should the coronavirus require responsive action:
The superintendent will take appropriate measures if there is an epidemic or outbreak of a communicable disease which may include, but is not limited to, the emergency exclusion or alternative placement of students or the closure of a school building or the entire school district.
As you review your policies, you should also consider what procedures you would follow to carry them out. We would also recommend that you identify who will be responsible for monitoring the developing information related to the spread of coronavirus and what resources will be relied upon, such as the Department of Health and Human Services.
It is also important to take proactive steps to maintain health and peace of mind. Remind your students and staff of the importance of good hygiene, and encourage those who are sick to remain home. To that end, refresh yourself on your sick-leave and FMLA policies. Finally, remind your employees that a considerable amount of disinformation is shared during any public health emergency, and that they should seek out reliable sources of information that do not benefit from misrepresenting the facts (such as state and local health departments, the CDC, or the WHO.)
Communicate Effectively
In situations like these, we always recommend that schools communicate with the public about their proactive approach. To help you do so, we’ve developed the following statement you can provide parents after reviewing your policies and, if necessary, updating them.
Dear Parents and Students,
The district is monitoring the developing information related to the spread of COVID-19 (commonly referred to as the coronavirus). To date, the district is unaware of any native cases of COVID-19 being reported in our state. However, the district has reviewed its relevant policies and procedures and is confident that it is prepared to respond to any outbreak of communicable disease that may occur. Should this situation interfere with the district’s ordinary operations or schedule, you will be provided notice in the customary fashion.
We encourage you to remain informed about the spread of the coronavirus, and would recommend that you visit the website for the Department of Health and Human Services, found here, for further information as it develops. We would also encourage you to use this opportunity to remind your students of the importance of getting rest and washing hands, especially during cold and flu season.
You should hyperlink “here” to take readers to the relevant page from your state, and update the name of the respective agency as necessary. For convenience, we’ve produced the links here:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/2019-novel-coronavirus
Iowa Department of Public Health:
https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus
Kansas Department of Health and Environment:
http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx
South Dakota Department of Health:
https://doh.sd.gov/news/Coronavirus.aspx
Conclusion
We appreciate the apprehension many have regarding the coronavirus (trust us, we closely monitored both Shari and Karen for it.)* On the other hand, schools are regularly tasked with educating students in the midst of public health crises, and are well- equipped with the policies and experience necessary to respond appropriately. Further, schools in Nebraska can be confident in making the best decision for students should the coronavirus require disruptions to the regular school schedule. We’ve conferred with Commissioner Blomstedt and the Nebraska Department of Education, and were assured that NDE would work with schools that suffer impediments to the provision of instructional hours as it has during previous emergencies.
If you have any questions about your school’s preparedness for the outbreak of communicable disease, we recommend you contact your school attorney, or call Karen, Steve, Bobby, Coady, or Jordan.
*Editor’s Note: Don’t worry, both Karen and Shari tested negative!