March 13, 2020

Dear Parent/Guardian,

Aurora R-VIII personnel have been monitoring the coronavirus issue and consulting with both the Barry and Lawrence County Health Departments.  We have also received guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. 

Since the situation is now hitting closer to home with one (1) confirmed case of the coronavirus in the St. Louis area and one (1) in Greene County, we felt it was appropriate to share additional information regarding the situation.

At this point, we are not altering our daily schedule.  If infections occur in our community, public health officials may recommend specific measures to lessen the possibility of the spread of the virus in our schools. Closing schools would be at the recommendation of public health officials in the region or at the direction of State leadership. It would also be possible that the superintendent and Board of Education would make the decision to close school if staffing becomes an issue or students become infected.

Our desire is to utilize our partnership with you in hopes of educating all students on how they can help mitigate the risk of spreading all viruses. Please continue to educate your children on the preventive measures they can take to protect themselves from colds and the flu, which are the same measures that prevent the spread of coronavirus: 

·  Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available.

·  Stay home if sick and avoid contact with others.

·  Avoid contact with sick people.

·  Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

·  Cover mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve at the elbow when coughing or sneezing.

·  Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

In addition to these individual efforts, each year during the cold and flu season our maintenance and custodial staff take extra measures to prevent the spread of germs. With the heightened awareness and concern of the coronavirus spreading into the Southwest Missouri area, we have been diligently taking the following actions:

·  Extra hand sanitizer and wipes are available for students and staff.

·  In addition to the normal sanitation measures, the custodial staff is conducting an extra disinfecting regimen with misting foggers purchased by the district.

·  Disinfecting common surfaces and high touch point areas.

·  Buses will be disinfected, fogged or sprayed routinely.

·  All staff will continually discuss with students the basic guidelines and preventative measures.

Please know our top priority at Aurora R-VIII is the health and safety of our students and staff, and we always take this responsibility seriously. Thank you for your continued partnership to keep our students safe. We will continue to monitor the situation and communicate with you further as necessary.

Sincerely,

Billy Redus

Superintendent