Monitoring COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Dear AAHS Families:
The Academic Arts High School district values the health and well-being of our students, staff and families. We work throughout the year to promote healthy schools. Safety is always our priority.
This letter is to provide parents and community members with updated information about the District’s response to the latest news about the coronavirus (COVID-19) that has spread to a number of countries around the world. Please note that at the time this letter is being written, there is not a coronavirus pandemic in Minnesota and there are still limited cases within the United States.
The AAHS district has a Pandemic Action Plan that was developed in conjunction with other agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Health. We want you to know that we are regularly in contact with the MDH to monitor daily updates and CDC recommendations. At this time, the Department of Health Services still considers the risk to the general public as low.
The recommendations as of now from the CDC and MDH remain prevention-focused. Listed below are the recommendations for preventing the spread of any virus and reducing the spread of germs.
Maintain good healthy hygiene practices, including handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer often if no soap and water are available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick and keep kids home from school when they are sick.
Stay away from people who have the flu or a virus.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (or at the very least, your elbow) when coughing or sneezing.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
We have reviewed our cleaning products and there are multiple products we currently use that are pre-approved by the EPA to disinfect the coronavirus. We will continue to regularly clean and disinfect high traffic areas in our schools.
Be assured that we will continue to monitor this evolving situation and follow any recommendation from MDH or MDE. Should this situation rise to a level of a school closure, AAHS will communicate with staff and families as we would with a weather cancellation - email, text, phone, social media, local media, and websites.
We also encourage all AAHS families to be prepared with their own plans for child care, work, and activities, should school or workplaces need to close.
AAHS will continue to update staff and families should conditions change