Click here for the Klamath County Public Health COVID 19 page, which is updated regularly

ALL SCHOOLS CLOSED THROUGH APRIL 28

Dear KCSD families,

It has been a challenging couple of weeks for all of us.

We know you have many questions about how school will be for students since we closed our doors to help flatten the curve of COVID-19 and keep our school communities safe. With schools closed, we have created the KCSD & Me Learning Plan, a supplemental education experience for our students that will allow them to work on essential skills until classes resume. This plan can't take the place of the interaction between a teacher and a student, and we look forward to the day we reopen our doors to students.

Grade-level teams have developed districtwide education packets that will be mailed to every student. Schools will supplement the district essential skills packet with school-specific information and resources.

Around Monday, April 6, you should expect to receive by mail your student’s first education packet. Your student will then receive a new packet each week with activities and lessons. The packets should be completed by the student, but do not need to be returned to the school.

Families will be contacted twice weekly by a teacher, who will answer questions and ask your student to report on their progress. If you are not contacted by a teacher within a week of receiving your first packet, please email your school building’s principal or call 541-851-8744 and leave a message with your name, school, and contact number.

Junior high and high school students will receive supplemental education packets for social studies, science, math and English. Until classes resume, current high school specific course curriculum will not progress and grades will remain frozen where they were on March 12. Students who are enrolled in classes through Klamath Community College and Oregon Tech should stay enrolled, following the college’s directives.

In the near future, the district also plans to provide supplemental online resources by grade level for families on our website.

We know high school students and their parents have questions regarding course credits and graduation requirements. We understand your concerns, but we are not in control of those decisions. As soon as we get guidance from the state, we will share it with our families. The Oregon Department of Education is still working on a plan to accommodate high school seniors. The College Board also is addressing the school closure issue nationwide and its impact on seniors.

During the extended school closure, the Klamath County School District is providing meals (breakfast and lunch) for students at various locations around the district. Times and locations are listed following this letter. Any student with a dietary restriction will be provided a meal as long as the parent has informed the district. To do so, please email the following information to gracikc@kcsd.k12.or.us:

• Student name
• Restriction approved by medical personnel
• Where the meal will be picked up

As we move forward , you can help us by communicating your issues and concerns. 
Please send suggestions to kcsd_covid19@kcsd.k12.or.us.
 
Sincerely,
 
Superintendent Glen Szymoniak
Klamath County School District

UPDATE: Letter to our families // March 18, 2020
En español: Comunidad del Distrito Escolar del Condado de Klamath

Dear Klamath County School District families,

Gov. Kate Brown has extended the statewide closure for K-12 schools through April 28. We know this is a trying time and the closure of our schools is a challenge to many families.

We understand and share your concerns, and the district is working to address them. This situation is fluid and is changing rapidly. With every new announcement, the Oregon Department of Education must determine what actions school districts need to take, and then districts need time to establish the best way to implement those actions. This process can take several days.

We are working with a team of teachers and administrators to develop supplemental education and learning supports for all students. You can expect to hear from us about our plan by Friday, March 27. More information about instructional delivery will be released the week of March 30-April 3. The Oregon Department of Education is discussing what actions need to be taken to accommodate high school seniors. We will provide this information as soon as it is available.

In the meantime, we are encouraging families to enjoy their scheduled spring break.

At this time, KCSD has implemented the following steps:

• All of our facilities, including the District Office, are closed until further notice.
• We have established an information hotline to provide information to families who may not have regular access to the internet. That number is 541-851-8744. It has a pre-recorded message with the latest information and allows callers to leave a message. If you know someone who can benefit from our hotline, please share this information with them.
• Our custodians will continue cleaning our schools and ensure they remain disinfected for when students and staff return.
• The district’s free meal program will continue March 30 until school resumes. More details on locations and times will follow and be posted on our website and Facebook page. Information may also be provided through your school’s One Call Now messaging system.
• Term 4 report cards will be posted on the Home Access Center (HAC) on the KCSD website. Click on the e-school-teacher/parent/admin link on the left-hand side of the site.

We encourage you to communicate any questions via our dedicated email account at KCSD_COVID19@kcsd.k12.or.us. In most cases, do not expect an immediate answer, but know we are monitoring the email and making note of your concerns. We will provide answers as plans are finalized. As noted earlier, the district will communicate with families by Friday, March 27.

Meanwhile, continue to check our webpage and Facebook page for updates.
​
Please be assured that we want what is best for our students and families. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate this constantly changing situation. 
 
Sincerely,

Superintendent Glen Szymoniak
Klamath County School District

UPDATED: 5:30 p.m., March 17, 2020

SCHOOL CLOSURE EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 28

"The situation is continuing to change and the district is working to stay on top of it. We’ll get information to our families as soon as we have it." 

--  Superintendent Glen Szymoniak

Click here for the breaking news story from OregonLive.

NOTE TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY: 

We know many of you have concerns and questions -- and we are receiving and recording them from the dedicated email account. We will answer each email and question as best we can as our Emergency Response Team gets more information and plans are finalized. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this challenging time.

If you have a school closure question, please email it To KCSD_COVID19@kcsd.k12.or.us. We are monitoring the email, recording your questions, and will respond to you as we have answers. Thank you to everyone in our school community. We appreciate you!

UPDATED: Grab and go meals for students

NEW: Meals for GILCHRIST: Free Grab-and-Go meals will be available from 11 a.m to noon Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday (March 16-18) in the cafeteria at Gilchrist Schools. Meals also will be delivered to outlying areas from 10:30 a.m. to noon via school bus stops. Parents will get more information on outlying deliveries via the district's One Call Now system. Click here for locations, dates, and times

March 17, 2020: UPDATES

Report cards: Term 4 grades will be posted at the usual time on our website’s Home Access Center (HAC). The HAC can be found under the e-school/teacher/parent/admin link on the left side of this page. Paper report cards will be processed at a later date.

Information hotline: The Klamath County School District now has an information hotline about the statewide school closure for parents who do not have regular access to the internet. The hotline number is 541-851-8744. It will have a prerecorded message that will be updated as needed. Callers may leave a message and a district representative will respond.

Do you have a question? The school district has set up a dedicated email account to receive and respond to school-related questions from our community about the ordered statewide closure due to COVID19. If you have a question, please email it to KCSD_COVID19@kcsd.k12.or.us. We are monitoring the email and a district representative will respond.

School-based health center: The Klamath Health Partnership’s School-Based Health Center on the Mazama High School campus will remain open. For hours and other information, please call 541-887-8189.

Reminders:

• All parent-teacher conferences have been canceled.
• Schools will be open for students to retrieve personal items or school-related material from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today (March 17). After that time, all facilities will be closed through March 31.
• All school-sponsored activities have been canceled, including spring sports practices and competitions.

Please continue to monitor our website for up-to-date information. Thank you for your patience during this challenging time.

En español: Comunidad del Distrito Escolar del Condado de Klamath​​

Dear KCSD families and community,

Due to the increasing number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus COVID-19 in Oregon, on Thursday March 12, 2020, Gov. Kate Brown announced a statewide closure of Oregon K-12 schools from Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31.

Klamath County School District has implemented the following steps for all of our schools:

1. Parent/Teacher Conferences have been canceled.​
2. All school-sponsored activities have been canceled. This includes field trips, extra-curricular practices, and contests.
3. SAT tests that were planned will continue as scheduled.
4. All community use for interior and exterior KCSD facilities has been suspended.​
5. Schools will be open for students and parents to retrieve personal items or school related material from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17^. After that time, facilities will be closed to further access.
6. There will be no contact with student groups including clubs, school-related organizations, or extracurricular programs by KCSD staff during the closure​
7. KCSD will be offering a FREE meals program for students 18 years old and younger beginning Monday, March 16 through Wednesday, March 18 at the following schools:​​​​

• SHASTA ELEMENTARY 11 - 11:30 a.m STEARNS ELEMENTARY 11 - 11:30 a.m. MALIN ELEMENTARY 11 - 11:30 a.m. GEARHART ELEMENTARY 11 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CHILOQUIN ELEMENTARY 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. SPRAGUE RIVER LIBRARY 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. FALCON HEIGHTS PARK 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday only (other dates pending)

  PETERSON ELEMENTARY 11 - 11:30 a.m. FERGUSON ELEMENTARY 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. MERRILL ELEMENTARY 11 - 11:30 a.m. KENO ELEMENTARY 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. BONANZA ELEMENTARY 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. HENLEY/GILCHRIST Pending; check back MIDLAND PARK 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Monday only (other dates pending)

BREAKING NEWS // 6 a.m. March 13, 2020: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has closed all schools starting Monday through March 31. The Klamath County School District is adapting to the ongoing situation, and we will post more information as we have it. Link to news story about school closures. Link to message from ODE Director Colt Gill.

  Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs
 
En español: Preguntas frecuentes sobre el coronavirus (COVID-19)​ 

We will update this page regularly as new information and new questions emerge.
 
Q. Have there been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Klamath County School District?
Q. What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
Q. How can I prevent getting COVID-19?
Q. I don’t feel safe having my child at school. How can I get work for my student?
Q. UPDATED My student isn’t feeling well. How should I determine whether to send them to school?
Q: UPDATED Are you going to cancel field trips/extracurricular activities or sports, music and academic competitions?
Q. What cleaning protocols and infection control measures does the KCSD have in place?
Q. Will you tell me if I or my child has been exposed to COVID-19?
Q. What would KCSD do if a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in a student, staff member, parent, or family member?
Q. What is your plan for continuing students’ education if there is a mass spread of COVID-19 in the Klamath County School District?
Q. Can my child wear a mask to school as a preventative measure?
Q. How is COVID-19 treated?
Q. Where can I get additional information about COVID-19?
 
Q. Have there been any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Klamath County School District?
Not at this time. We are in regular contact with Klamath County Public Health officials, who will inform us if there is a confirmed case of a student or staff member. There is one presumptive COVID-19 case in Klamath County (as of March 7, 2020), and health officials say that case does not pose any risk to our school communities. Presumptive means the patient has initially tested positive for the virus, but the test results have not been confirmed by CDC.
 
Q: What are the symptoms of COVID-19?
A: Fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. If you have symptoms, call your healthcare provider to identify the safest way to receive care. Do not show up for care without letting the clinic or hospital know so they can prevent exposure to other patients and staff.
 
Q: How can I prevent getting COVID-19?
A: Steps you can take to prevent the spread of flu and the common cold also will help prevent COVID-19:

• Wash hands often with soap and water. Lather your hands and wash for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water not available, use a hand sanitizer.​
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick​
• Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing ​

Currently, there are no vaccines available to prevent COVID-19 infections.
 
Q: I don’t feel safe having my child at school. How can I get work for my student?
A: Teachers and counselors will work with the parents of any student who is diagnosed with COVID-19, is under quarantine from a medical provider or has a medical alert of a compromised immune system, to provide education as long as needed. This would most likely involve uploading work and lessons online or providing it at schools to be picked up for the student.

 

When families choose to remove students as a preventive measure, the Oregon Department of Education requires us to unenroll the student after 10 consecutive school days. If parents choose to keep their student at home beyond  those 10 days, they should register with the district homeschool program – Great Basin Homeschool – or other state homeschool providers. When students return to school, they will be re-enrolled.

The COVID-19 is being monitored daily and if a school is required to be closed those absences will not count against students.

Students who are out for other sickness of a shorter duration than 10 days will receive make-up work when they return or that work may be picked up at the school while they are still home with sickness..
 
Q. UPDATED My student isn’t feeling well. How should I determine whether to send them to school?

A. UPDATED For the safety our school communities, if your child is unwell please keep them home. Following are guidelines released March 11 by the Oregon Health Authority and Klamath County Public Health:

• Runny nose without other symptoms: Okay (to go to school or workplace)
• Fever: Stay home
• Cough illness*: Stay home (*New-onset cough or notable increase in chronic cough)
• Shortness of breath: Stay home or seek medical care if needed.

Come back to school or the workplace only after symptoms get better, and no sooner than 72 hours after fever and cough resolve (without use of fever-reducing medicines or cough suppressants)

Also do not attend school if you have:

• any unexplained vomiting. Students may return 24 hours after the last episode. 
• diarrhea (three or more unexplained episodes of watery or loose stools in 24 hours OR sudden onset of loose stools). Students may return 24 hours after the last episode.
• a new rash accompanied by a fever. Students may return after the rash goes away or clearance is given by a healthcare provider.

 
Q. UPDATED Are you going to cancel field trips/extracurricular activities or sports, music and academic competitions?

A. UPDATED With the number of confirmed COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Oregon increasing, the state has released new guidelines for schools. In a late evening announcement March 12, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown ordered all schools closed from March 16 to March 31. During the closure, all school activities, including spring sports practices and competitions, are suspended. The Klamath County School District also on March 12 canceled all non-essential school activities through April 8. The suspension includes all school-based assemblies and events, off-campus field trips, parent meetings, and professional development meetings and events. 

Any events scheduled after April 9 will be re-evaluated based on recommendations of the OHA and Klamath County Public Health. The situation is continually evolving and we will continue to work with our county and state public health officials. As always, we encourage families to make the best choices for their families.

 
Q. What cleaning protocols and infection control measures does KCSD have in place?
A. Building custodians will continue to implement an enhanced disinfecting plan. This includes daily cleaning of high touch point areas.

• Buses and school common areas are being fogged with a disinfectant on a daily basis. 
• Hand sanitizer dispensers are at entrances to our schools as well as in our cafeterias.
• Classrooms will be cleaned daily and fogged on a rotating basis. All high-touch areas such as desks and keyboards are cleaned regularly.
• Hand sanitizer is available in all classrooms.
• Staff are reinforcing expectations around hand washing, covering coughs and/or sneezes,
• Students and staff are asked to stay home when exhibiting a fever or a cough or difficulty breathing.

 
Q. Will you tell me if I or my child has been exposed to COVID-19?
A: People who are at risk for exposure to COVID-19 because of known contact with an ill person will be contacted by Klamath County Public Health. Because of HIPPA restrictions, schools and the district are unable to share information regarding specific individuals. 
 
Q. What would KCSD do if a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in a student, staff member, parent, or family member?
A: Confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be managed by Klamath County Public Health and we will take direction from them. Most likely, persons with the virus and any family members who have been in close contact with the person will be asked to quarantine themselves. Additional cleaning would take place within the school, and the district would consult with the local and state health officials for any further recommended steps.

Should the Klamath County Health Department direct us to close a school or schools, we will notify parents, guardians, staff, and community by email from the District Office, on the district’s website, on district social media, and on the district’s One Call system. If you see a social media post from another source that says school is closed, please check official district channels to confirm before spreading any news.
 
Q. What is your plan for continuing students’ education if there is a mass spread of COVID-19 in the Klamath County School District?
A: We are currently considering options for this scenario and will share additional information as it is available. One issue is that not all families have access to the internet in their homes.
 
Q. Can my child wear a mask to school as a preventative measure?
A: There is no state or district ban against students wearing medical masks at school. However, CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Face masks are only recommended by people who show symptoms of COVID-19. If the child is sick, they should stay home rather than attend school with a mask. Health officials say that wearing face masks can cause children to touch their faces more often, spreading germs, which defeats the purpose of the mask. The school will contact parents if a face mask worn by their student disrupts education.​ 
 
Q. How is COVID-19 treated?
A: There are no medications specifically approved for COVID-19. Most people with mild COVID-19 illness will recover on their own by drinking plenty of fluids, resting, and taking pain and fever medications. However, some cases develop respiratory issues and require medical care or hospitalization. 
 
Q. Where can I get additional information about COVID-19?
A: The district recommends using the following sources for updated reliable information:

• Oregon Department of Education Q&As. English. Spanish.
• Klamath County Public Health /Coronavirus
• Oregon Health Authority Oregon COVID-19 
• Centers for Disease Control/Coronavirus​