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Novel Coronavirus Information and Resources

Letter from the Superintendent-March 27, 2020

Thank you so much for the patience you have all had with us throughout this time.  As a school district we want nothing more than to have your children (our students) back at school; however,  we are going to continue our COVID-19 closure through the 24th of April.

We will be continuing our food deliveries and pick-ups schedule over the next several weeks.  Our teaching and secretarial staff will be monitoring messages and questions between 8 am and 3 pm each school day to be able to respond to our students and parents electronically.

Each of our school buildings and the district office are closed to the public through April 24th.  District office phones will be answered between 8 and 3 each week day.  I do not have any way to predict when we will be able to see our students back in our schools at this time.  I will keep our families updated as we proceed.  When I have information to share with all of you I will send a message.

Stay Healthy and thank you again,  Dr. Tim Ryan

New Supplemental Learning Packet and Meal Delivery Information

New supplemental learning packets for March 30-April 10 will be delivered by school bus routes, along with meals on Monday, March 30. The buses will be leaving Buffalo at 9 a.m. to make the deliveries. If students would like to return completed learning materials, they can give them to the buses on Monday. If your child does not ride a bus or you miss the bus delivery, you can pick up the new learning packets and meals Tuesday, March 31, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. Families will receive meals for the week, as we move to pick up schedule for only one day per week. The staff will be exercising social distance. Meals only, will be delivered by bus on April 1, 3, 6, 7, and 8. Families can pick up additional meals Tuesday, April 7 at BHS cafeteria from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

New supplemental learning packets for April 15-24 will be distributed again, by bus routes Wednesday, April 15. Meals will be delivered also, and students can return completed learning packets on the bus. Families can pick up learning packets and meals if they miss the bus or their children do no ride a bus, Thursday, April 16 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and meals only on Tuesday, April 21 at the HS cafeteria. Meals only will continue to be delivered by school bus route on April 17, 20, 22, and 24.

If you send completed learning packets back, be sure to send them in the envelope or folder already labeled or label the materials with the student name, teacher name and school building name.

Letter from the Superintendent, March 16, 2020
Dear Dallas County R-I Families,

There is no higher priority for our entire Dallas County School District family than the safety of our students, staff and community. As our local, national, and international communities continue to assess the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the Dallas County School District receives ongoing guidance from the local and state health departments, the State Department of Education, and the CDC.  In addition, the President just announced a prohibition of gatherings of 10 or more people.

Today I am writing to inform you of the closure of the Dallas County R-I School District beginning Tuesday, March 17, 2020 through Friday, March 27, 2020.  At the end of next week we will assess the evolving situation and make a determination about re-opening our schools. We will be deciding on extracurricular activities in the near future. 

We will not be providing instruction to students until the end of this week, but will be working with teachers to develop alternate forms of instruction in the interim. Learning would continue for students and you will receive further communication from your child’s school. 

We realize that closing our schools presents many hardships for our community. Our ability to provide learning during this unprecedented time will require a close partnership between the schools and parents/guardians. Please check your email regularly and be in contact with your child’s school.

The Dallas County School District will continue to work with local and state agencies to develop plans to maintain the critical support our schools provide to students and families. A plan for food distribution will be announced this week or as soon as it is established. 

We are committed to sharing these plans with you as they are developed and will communicate consistently as the situation evolves. Updates and information will be communicated by the District via bisonpride.org, and our district mobile app.

Thank you for your patience and continued support of our efforts to be proactive during this unprecedented time. The Dallas County community is a caring and compassionate place. I am confident our resiliency and desire to support each other will help us through these challenging times. I am confident that information will change consistently based upon governmental mandates.  Unprecedented regarding this situation is the greatest understatement of this millenia.

Tim Ryan, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

COVID-19 Update March 16, 2020
The district has been made aware of a report of COVID-19 in Dallas County.  This individual was contacted by the Dallas County Health Department over the weekend.  They discovered this was not a verifiable claim of COVID-19.  If the district and the health department believe there is an elevated risk to our students we will make a joint decision regarding the district holding school.  We are both using protocol from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the Centers for Disease Control to make decisions.

Novel Coronavirus Information and Resources-March 14, 2020We know there is a high level of concern regarding the corona virus. The Dallas County R-I School District has been in contact with the Dallas County Health Department and there are no confirmed cases in Dallas County at this time. Our custodial staff have been very busy ensuring our schools are as clean as possible based upon the cleaning guidance from the Health Department.

Any decision to close school would be a collaboration between the school district and the Dallas County Health Department. Any decision made will be based upon the health and educational needs of our students, and at this time there is no need for us to close schools based upon COVID-19 concerns. Students and staff are scheduled to return to classes Monday, March 16. 

Dallas County Health Department Website 
http://dallascountyhealth.com/

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Fact Sheet
https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/pdf/novel-coronavirus-factsheet.pdf

Keeping the Workplace, School, and Home Safe
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/workplace-school-and-home-guidance.pdf