More Tiger Talk from Loveland Schools

Loveland Schools Health and Education Perception Survey for 8/31/20 – 9/11/20

Survey Results – Students (Gr. 4-12)

Survey Results – Families

Survey Results – Staff

The district’s plan is to repeat the exact survey every two weeks to enable our team to monitor the perceptions over time and use it to make adjustments and improvements to our learning models/schedules throughout the year. We will publish the results of the surveys in Tiger Talk and on the website bi-weekly.

A full overview of the survey results will be discussed and evaluated at the next Board of Education meeting to be held on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00 p.m. The Board meeting will be held in person in the LMS/LIS Media Center with social distancing and mask protocols in place. The meeting will also be live-streamed on the Board of Education’s YouTube Live page.

“We value the input of our staff, students, and families as we move forward towards returning students to school five full days a week. Families will also be receiving a survey request from their buildings today asking for more specific feedback to help us continue to adapt and improve our practices,” shared Loveland Superintendent Amy Crouse. “We have kept our Tigers healthy and want to keep them healthy as we evaluate the transition to a full return.”

The district greatly appreciates the collaboration with our families to keep our Tigers healthy. As we have communicated recently, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has issued a new order requiring school reporting and notification of COVID-19 cases. We have been working closely with Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) to accomplish this goal while enforcing HCPH isolation and quarantine orders.

For the past three weeks, Loveland School District has been posting a COVID-19 weekly update to our website with the number of school cases (positive tests and close contacts that have occurred at school) for that reporting period (each week, Saturday through Friday moving forward) for both students and staff. Community cases (isolation and quarantine orders issued by county boards of health for students and staff who have not been at school within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, or of a positive test if asymptomatic) have not been included in these data updates for the following reasons:

1. These cases did not happen at school, and no further exposure would have occurred;

2. Accuracy of this data is contingent upon reporting to LCSD by those affected, as recommended (not required) by public health departments; and

3. Public health departments do not report these cases directly to schools which hinders the accuracy and reliability of the data.

Based on parent and community feedback and our commitment to transparency, Loveland Schools will now be including the community cases reported to the district in our weekly COVID-19 update. Beginning September 18, Loveland City School District will begin to report the number of community cases that we are made aware of as of the close of business each Friday. This count of community cases will only include those students and staff who are currently isolated or quarantined. If isolation or quarantine has ended and individuals have returned to school, they will no longer be reported as a community case. The data will be posted under our Reopening Plan at https://www.lovelandschools.org/COVID-19DataUpdate.aspx.

Our health services team will continue to keep parents and the community informed about the district’s COVID-19 mitigation and communication plan as guidelines and orders change. The following information details our current health and COVID-19 reporting protocols.

Reporting Protocol

• Parents are asked to contact their child’s building attendance line within 24 hours (the sooner the better) of a COVID-19 positive test result or clinical diagnosis, or if their child has been determined to be a close contact by the public health department.

• Positive cases, and resulting close contacts, determined to have been at school within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms (or date of a positive test if asymptomatic) will be reported by the Loveland City School District COVID-19 Coordinator to Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH).

• School cases (positives and close contacts) will be added to our COVID-19 weekly update (updated on Fridays) and be part of the Ohio Department of Health’s cumulative weekly report which comes out on Thursdays.

• Community cases currently in isolation or quarantine will also be reported in the COVID-19 weekly update beginning September 18, 2020.

When to Stay Home/Safe Return to School

• Symptomatic student and any student awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test (regardless of symptoms) should be kept at home.

• Symptomatic student determined to have an alternate cause or illness by their medical provider must have a note from a medical provider to say it is safe to be back.

• Symptomatic student who tests positive must stay home for 10 days from symptom onset (or date of positive test result if asymptomatic), 24 hours fever free (no fever-reducing medications), and improved symptoms.

• Symptomatic student not tested without medical provider clearance must stay home for 10 days from symptom onset, 24 hours fever free (no fever-reducing medications), and improved symptoms.

• Symptomatic student who tests negative must stay home until 24 hours fever free and improved symptoms – follow ODH guidelines.

Contact Tracing

• The district’s COVID-19 Coordinator will work with the building administrators and health services team to identify close contacts (an individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes) and share this list with HCPH to complete contact tracing. Close contacts will need to quarantine for 14 days from the date of the last exposure to the infected person.

Internal Communication

• Within 24 hours of becoming aware of a COVID-19 positive case of a student or employee, LCSD will send a notification to the entire district. For students identified as close contacts during the infectious period, a more specific notice will be sent.

• The district will send weekly health and safety updates to LCSD families via the Tiger Talk on Friday afternoons including a link to the COVID-19 weekly update at www.lovelandschools.org.

The Hamilton County Education Service Center is offering Head Start, a federally-funded program that provides preschool education and ensures that both children and parents are prepared for kindergarten and for a life of learning. Through either direct service or referrals, Head Start children also receive numerous health services ensuring good physical, dental, nutritional, and mental health. Head Start is available to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers up to age five from income-eligible families. Children with special needs are welcome.

The HCESC Head Start programs include:

· Head Start – serving children ages 3-5 who are not eligible for kindergarten.

· Early Home-based Head Start – serving children under 3 years of age.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, HCESC is also offering virtual educational options for families. Please contact the ESC at 513-674-4329 for more information or visit their website at:

www.hcescheadstart.org.