Dear NPS Families, We hope that you have had a restful break and found time to gather with friends and family to celebrate the season. As we prepare for the return to school on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, we are, as always, prioritizing the health and safety of our school community. Prior to the break, we experienced a rise in absences for both students and staff due to cases of flu, COVID, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses. We expect we may continue to see increases in illnesses following the break as well. Therefore, in consultation with Newton Health and Human Services, we strongly recommend that all staff and students wear face coverings for the first two weeks of school following the break. This recommendation is made in an effort to keep our students in school learning and to keep our classrooms and buildings operating with safe and appropriate staffing. As a reminder, there are steps we can take to prevent the unnecessary spread of respiratory illness. Please keep your student home if they are sick. If they have symptoms, Newton HHS recommends you get tested for flu and COVID-19 and talk with your healthcare provider about treatment options. In addition, to help keep our school community healthy, please encourage the following: — Practice good hand hygiene. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or if a tissue is not available, cover them with an elbow, not a hand. — Clean high-touch surfaces. NPS will continue its practice of cleaning high-touch surfaces in our classrooms and buildings. Disinfecting high-touch surfaces like doorknobs is crucial to prevent illness. — Wear a face covering. Wearing a mask protects against respiratory droplets and is effective in preventing COVID-19. — Avoid exposure to people who are sick. In addition, please keep your student home if sick. Thank you for your efforts in making our schools safe, healthy, and ready to learn! Sincerely, Newton Public Schools |
100 Walnut St., Newton MA 02460 (617) 559 – 6000 www.newton.k12.ma.us |