Handbooks on hold until virus guidelines released

McCOOK, Neb. — What school will look like this coming year with social distancing restrictions is still not certain yet.

That’s because no definite guidelines have been recommended by the governor and Matt Blomstedt, Nebraska Department of Education Commissioner, said McCook Schools Superintendent Grant Norgaard.

To keep this information up-to-date, approval for student handbooks was tabled Monday night by the McCook School Board, prompted by board member Loretta Hauxwell’s request.

Handbooks are available electronically so additions can be done relatively easily, said Joel Bednar, Central Elementary principal. Hard copies are available to parents by request.

Hauxwell asked that approval of the handbooks be pushed back to July, so new health initiatives can be incorporated if needed. Another concern she cited was the new requirement that students must wait three days before returning to school if they had a fever of 99.9 degrees.

Changes in the student handbook for 2020-21 in the health section include COVID-19 pandemic response procedures for students returning to school after having the virus and symptoms that could exclude a student from attending.

Students will be excluded from school with the following symptoms and may not return until symptoms have improved and they have no fever (99.9 degrees) for 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medications:

One of the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness or breath or two of the following symptoms: chills or repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell.

Students with the above symptoms may require a physician note to return to school and may be required to wear a mask when returning to school.

Other additions to the handbook are:

Chicken pox: Exclude until all lesions are crusted, is fever free and school has received documentation from physician that student can return to school

MRSA: Exclusion as directed by physician. Must keep lesions covered.

Bed bugs: In the case that a student is identified with a case of bed bugs at home, either by confirmation from parents or by bringing bed bugs to school, parents will be contacted, the student will be evaluated and a plan will be put in place for the student at school.

Medication: A signed no-liability statement is required from the parents/guardian and physician.