Update:

Valley City  (VCPS)  Updated information from Valley City Public Schools Superintendent Josh Johnson, affecting changes in the the school district immediately.

 

The news release from  Superintendent Josh Johnson contains new information stemming from the North Dakota Department of Health’s releasing of new CDC guidelines on quarantines.

Valley City Public Schools began following the new guidelines starting Thursday, December 03, 2020.

Highlights of these changes include:
1) An individual required to quarantine, will be allowed to end the quarantine at 10 days if they have been symptom free (excludes household contacts).
2) An individual required to quarantine, will be allowed to end the quarantine at 7 days if they have had a negative test within 48 hours of the 7th day of quarantine (also excludes household contacts).Further information and specifics regarding these new guidelines on quarantines should be released very soon to the public by the North Dakota Department of Health. Information that is applicable to Valley City Public Schools students, staff, and parents will be shared with you via email as soon as possible.

The news release says, if a student currently in quarantine is eligible to end the quarantine early following these new guidelines, parents/guardians will be contacted by Valley City Public Schools at least one day prior to your new ‘possible’ end date of quarantine. This includes students that would be eligible to return on Thursday, December 03 and Friday, December 04, 2020.

Thank you for understanding that we will be learning more about these new guidelines along with all of you in the coming days. Your patience and grace are very appreciated. Our school district will remain committed to the health and safety of our students and staff, while continuing to prioritize in-person learning at Valley City Public Schools.

Josh Johnson

Superintendent

Valley City Public Schools

(701) 845-0483

 

Previously

Valley City  (VCPS)   Valley City Public Schools Superintendent Josh Johnson explains new guidelines from the CDC and the effects on Valley City Public Schools.

In his latest news release, Superintendent Johnson said:

“We learned that the Center for Disease Control has approved and released new guidelines for quarantined individuals (see news link attached from CNBC below).  VCPS is excited to learn more from our local health team and the North Dakota Department of Health on how this will decrease the number of school days that our students and staff are in quarantine and away from school.

When we learn more and have been approved to make this official change at Valley City Public Schools, a communication will be shared with all of you.  We know that many of you, right now, will be impacted by this change and will be anxiously awaiting news from our school district.  We will do our absolute best to expedite this change while continuing to focus on the overall health and safety of our students.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/02/cdc-says-14-day-quarantine-best-way-to-reduce-covid-risk-but-10-and-7-day-periods-work-in-some-cases.html

Josh Johnson

Superintendent

Valley City Public Schools

(701) 845-0483

Key Points

  • The CDC still recommends a 14-day quarantine “as the best way to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19.”
  • However, the quarantine can end after 10 days if the person has not developed any symptoms and after just seven days if the asymptomatic person also tests negative for the virus, the CDC’s Dr. Henry Walke said.
  • Public health specialists have been awaiting the change with “delighted anticipation,” said Dr. Bill Schaffner, an epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University.