COVID Information

Student COVID-19 Cases (PDF)

Staff COVID-19 Cases (PDF)

 

As we work to keep students and staff safe during this pandemic, we will share as much information as possible with you, while still following legal and ethical privacy rules.

We will notify the entire school, building or team if there is a positive case.

For family members, if we find out that your child was directly in contact at school with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or someone whose medical provider diagnosed them with a presumed case of COVID-19, we will contact you. 

For staff members, the same is true. If we find out you were directly in contact at work with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or someone whose medical provider diagnosed them with a presumed case of COVID-19, we will contact you. 

We will ask everyone who is directly exposed and not fully vaccinated to stay at home for 10 days. You may return to work or school on day 11 if you remain symptom-free. Please continue to monitor your symptoms for the 14 days following exposure. If you develop symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact your healthcare provider. 

Each year, we see several students and staff with symptoms of things like allergies and illnesses like strep and bronchitis. During this pandemic, we are evaluating them, and sometimes we are sending them home and even encouraging them to get tested for COVID-19. 

While privacy laws keep us from sharing each of these cases with you, please take precautions as if everyone has COVID-19, including you and your family. Please use the list of symptoms we gave you to screen before coming to school, and please stay home if you know you or your child have been exposed to COVID-19. 

We provide antigen testing for students and staff who have COVID-19 symptoms. Families of students who have symptoms should contact their school nurses, who can help them request and schedule a test. Staff members who have symptoms should contact their supervisors and then call the testing site.

Student consent form
Staff consent form

Assessing Symptoms:

The school nurse will use their nursing judgement to evaluate the person’s symptoms. Even if a student or staff member's fever does not reach the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendation of 100.4 F, the nurse might send the student or staff member home after considering all symptoms.

Safety Precautions:

Our school nurse will use CDC-recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with a student or staff member with COVID-19 symptoms, and the nurse will try to keep the person with symptoms separated from everyone else until they can carefully leave the school.

Guidelines:

The nurse will send home guidelines to the student’s family or staff member, including information about the rules for returning to school.

Medical Care:

The nurse will recommend the person with symptoms follow up with a licensed medical provider or the health department.

Cleaning:

We will block off the areas the student or staff member has been until our custodian can clean and disinfect them.

If a Student or Staff Member Gets a COVID-19 Diagnosis:

If a student or staff member has a positive COVID-19 test or a healthcare provider diagnoses presumptive COVID-19, we will follow these guidelines:

• If your child has been in direct contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or whose medical provider diagnosed them with a presumed case of COVID-19, we will contact you.
•  We will work with our local health departments to determine what precautions we must take and whether we need to close.
• If the person’s family members are not fully vaccinated, they should self-quarantine for 10 days after the last day of exposure. Their quarantine may end on day 11 after exposure if they remain symptom-free. Family members need to continue to monitor symptoms for the full 10 days after exposure. Nurses will contact buildings where family members attend to ensure that they are observing the self-quarantine.

Contact Tracing:

We will work directly with local health department officials to complete contact tracing and inform those who have had close contact with a sick student or staff member. We will follow public health guidelines and recommendations. 

If the School Nurse Sends a Student or Staff Member Home:

If a school nurse sends a student or staff member home with COVID-19-like symptoms, they will use these guidelines to decide about the student or staff member’s return to school:  

• Must be fever-free a minimum of 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol or ibuprofen
• Must have an improvement in COVID-19-like symptoms
• Might be asked to stay home at least 10 days after symptoms first appeared
• Might be asked to bring medical clearance to return to school signed by their licensed health care provider 

If a Student or Staff Member Gets Diagnosed with COVID-19:

If a student or staff member has a positive COVID-19 test or gets a diagnosis of presumptive COVID-19 from their health care provider, we will follow these guidelines to decide about the return to school: 

• Must be fever-free a minimum of 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication such as Tylenol or ibuprofen AND
• Must have an improvement in COVID-19-like symptoms AND
• Must stay home at least 10 days after symptoms first appear
• Might be asked to provide documentation from a licensed health care provider stating clearance to return to school
• If you tested positive, you are not required to re-test or have a negative test result before returning to school. The CDC shared information that indicates a person who has had and recovered from COVID-19 might still have low levels of the virus for up to 3 months that will continue to result in a positive test, even though they are not spreading COVID-19. We are using the above guidelines to determine the return to school or work. 

If a student or staff member test positive for COVID-19, are they required to get re-tested and obtain a negative result? 

If you tested positive, you are not required to re-test or have a negative test result before returning to school. The CDC shared information that indicates a person who has had and recovered from COVID-19 might still have low levels of the virus for up to 3 months that will continue to result in a positive test, even though they are not spreading COVID-19.

What happens if a student or staff member who is not fully vaccinated had close contact with someone who has COVID-19:

If a student or staff member had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, they must stay home and quarantine for ten days, even if they feel healthy and test negative for COVID-19, since symptoms may take fourteen days to appear. Because it may take fourteen days for symptoms to appear, someone may test negative on day five, but test positive on day ten. 

There are many opportunities for people to get the vaccine for themselves, if they choose to do so:

• Sign up for a vaccine with the Platte County Health Department. 
• Sign up for a vaccine with St. Luke's.
• Sign up for a vaccine with the Missouri COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator. 
• Look into opportunities with your pharmacy.

Quarantine rules after the vaccinations:

According to the CDC: “Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:

• “Are fully vaccinated (i.e., more than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or more than weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
• “Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure”

See the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine information for more.

The Pfizer COVID vaccine is now approved for everyone who is 12 years old or older. There are many opportunities for people to get the vaccine for themselves or their children, if they choose to do so:

• Sign up for a vaccine with the Platte County Health Department. 
• Sign up for a vaccine at Children's Mercy.
• Sign up for a vaccine with St. Luke's.
• Sign up for a vaccine with the Missouri COVID-19 Vaccine Navigator. 
• Look into opportunities with your pharmacy.

Quarantine rules after the vaccinations:

According to the CDC: “Vaccinated persons with an exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:

• “Are fully vaccinated (i.e., more than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose series, or more than weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
• “Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure”

See the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine information for more.

If a student or a staff member is sick, it is more important than ever that they stay home. Please help us keep our community safe by being cautious and staying away, even if you think an illness could be allergies. The nurse at your school will be happy to help you talk through your symptoms. 

Students and staff should screen for these symptoms each day:  

• Fever or chills  
  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a fever is 100.4 F or greater.  
• Cough  
• Rash  
• Sore throat  
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing   
• Diarrhea  
• Nausea or vomiting  
• Fatigue  
• Headache  
• Muscle or body aches  
• Loss of taste or smell 

Masks:

The Park Hill Board of Education approved a mask mandate for everyone in district facilities who is three or older. They said they plan to reevaluate the mandate by the beginning of the second quarter.

Vaccinations: 

We encourage everyone who qualifies for the COVID-19 vaccine to get it. You can find information about vaccinations on the state of Missouri’s site.  

Monitoring Data: 

We will continue to monitor the data about COVID-19 cases and exposures, as well as community data. If we see a significant increase, we might increase our mitigation strategies. We will also continue to collaborate with our local health departments, following all their requirements.

Buses:  

Buses are considered public transportation, so students and drivers are federally required to wear masks. Please consider taking your child to school instead of sending them on the bus. We will not be able to provide physical distancing on the buses, but we will take as many precautions as possible. 

• Drivers will wear masks when parked at schools and when students are boarding and getting off the bus.  
• We will provide hand sanitizer.  
• We will open windows when possible.  
• First Student will train drivers about health and safety precautions for COVID-19.  
• First Student will create assigned seats for students riding the bus, with siblings sitting together when possible. The seat behind the driver will remain empty.  
• When possible, First Student will assign drivers to a single bus and route.  

Quarantines:

If someone gets exposed to a person with COVID-19, they must quarantine. If they have no symptoms, they may return after 10 days (on day 11), and they should wear a mask and monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days total (since we are currently under a mask mandate, they will wear a mask anyway). An exposure, or close contact, is someone who was within three feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes.

There are several exceptions to the quarantine requirement: 

• If the individuals were both were wearing masks appropriately, the exposed person would not need to quarantine, as long as they continue to monitor for symptoms for the full 14-day time period. 
• If an individual is fully vaccinated, they would not need to quarantine, as long as they monitor themself for symptoms for 14 days following the known exposure. They should wear a mask for the full 14-day time period. 
• Any fully vaccinated individual who experiences symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should isolate themself from others and get clinically evaluated for COVID-19.
• The person would not need to quarantine if they have had COVID-19 within the previous three months, have recovered, and have no more COVID-19 symptoms.

Testing: 

We will still provide free, optional antigen testing for students and staff. Families of students who have symptoms should contact their school nurses, who can help them request and schedule a test. Staff members who have symptoms should contact their supervisors and then call the testing site.

Stable Groups:

We will continue to take precautions like keeping students in stable groups to limit their exposures to other people.  

Physical Distancing:

We will take steps to promote physical distancing, although we cannot keep everyone three to six feet apart. This could look different at each school, due to the difference in the spaces, and it could include . . .  

• Staggering the use of common spaces, including the cafeteria, playground and other areas 
• Continue to use cohorts and maintain distance between cohorts when possible 
• Rearranging furniture and equipment to move students farther apart  
• Modifying passing periods  
• Changing arrival and dismissal procedures 

Handwashing:

Throughout the day, we will encourage hand washing, and we will also supply hand sanitizer in every classroom. Students and staff members must wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after meals and recess. We will also teach proper etiquette for preventing respiratory illness, including covering your cough and not touching your face. 

Cleaning:  

We are cleaning high-touch surfaces and shared objects at least once a day. We will provide wipes and spray bottles with disinfectant in every classroom.  

Visitors: 

During the school day, the only visitors we will allow in our schools are people who are there to work, like substitute teachers and repair workers. We will regularly reevaluate rules like this one, based on the most current guidance. 

If you need to bring something to the school during school hours, you will need to stay in the front office, and we will ask you to follow physical distancing rules. We will also work with families when we need to have meetings for students’ individual education programs (IEPs), 504 plans and individual health plans (IHPs). If you need to drop off medication, please make an appointment with the health room before coming to the school. 

Outside Food: 

Because of food and labor shortages, our Nutrition Services department can no longer provide birthday treats. See our Menus and Nutrition page for more information about approved treats for birthdays and classroom parties.

Food Service:  

The Nutrition Services staff is keeping up with the latest federal, state and local guidelines for preparing and serving meals. To create more physical distancing, each school will work to spread students out and provide meal schedules that allow students to wash their hands before and after eating.

Sharing Supplies:  

We will reduce sharing of school supplies, and we will sanitize the supplies we must share. Each student should have their own school supplies for their own personal use. 

Water:  

We are asking students and staff members to please come to school and work with a water bottle, if possible. Our water fountains will be on.  

Large Gatherings:

During the school day, we are not hosting assemblies or field trips, but schools can host certain large events outside. We will host some events inside, if they have an approved safety plan. 

Special Education:  

We are including health and safety precautions as we work with each student’s IEP. We also make changes to 504 plans when necessary to meet students’ needs. 

We will continue offering extra-curricular activities, including athletics and clubs, taking as many safety precautions as possible. We will follow guidelines from MSHSAA as we receive them, and we will keep participants updated on their rules.

The Platte County Health Department updated its guidelines, removing restrictions on gathering sizes. Therefore, there will no longer be limits on our crowd sizes at our after-school, outdoor activities hosted here in the Park Hill School District. The CDC and the health departments recommend masks for people who are not vaccinated.

Notifications:

As we work to keep students and staff safe during this pandemic, we will share as much information as possible with you, while still following legal and ethical privacy rules.

We will notify the entire school, building or team if there is a positive case.

If we find out you were directly in contact at work with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 or someone whose medical provider diagnosed them with a presumed case of COVID-19, we will contact you. 

We will ask everyone who is directly exposed and not fully vaccinated to stay at home for 10 days.

Each year, we see several students and staff with symptoms of things like allergies and illnesses like strep and bronchitis. During this pandemic, we are evaluating them, and sometimes we are sending them home and even encouraging them to get tested for COVID-19. 

While privacy laws keep us from sharing each of these cases with you, please take precautions as if everyone has COVID-19, including you and your family. Please use the list of symptoms we gave you to screen before coming to school, and please stay home if you know you or your child have been exposed to COVID-19.  

Confidentiality: 

Keep in mind that each staff member must keep strictly confidential all medical information regarding students and other staff, including symptoms and attendance. This includes not discussing others’ medical information with coworkers. 

Can my supervisor or HR send me home? If so, do I have to use my leave?

Your supervisor or someone in HR may send you home if they believe you have COVID-19 symptoms or an illness that is causing concern about your wellbeing or the risk of contagion to others. There will be expectations for you to pursue treatment or medical consultation. You might be eligible for paid leave for seeking a medical diagnosis for COVID-19 symptoms. Check with Dr. Linda Kaiser, director of human resource services for more information.

Can my supervisor or HR ask me about my symptoms if they are related to COVID?

Yes, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has weighed in on COVID-related conversations in the workplace. Normally an employer may not ask you specific questions related to symptoms without medical documentation. However, as COVID-19 is a medical condition that affects others and has been deemed a public health concern, employers may ask employees if they are experiencing COVID-related symptoms, even prior to the employee working at the facility or location.

All of our students, as well as other children in our area, will be able to eat free through the end of the 2021-2022 school year. For both options, you must pre-order before picking up your food.

Our social workers have also put together a list of nearby food pantries that can help families in need:

• A Turning Point:
  5105 NW Waukomis Drive
  Riverside, MO 64151
  816-237-0138
   
• Avondale United Methodist Pantry:
  3135 NE Winn Road
  Kansas City, MO 64117
  816-452-3518
   
• Barry Christian Church Pantry:
  1500 NW Barry Road
  Kansas City, MO 64155
  816-436-0462
   
• Englewood Baptist Church Pantry:
  1900 NE Englewood Road
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-453-0975
   
• Gladstone Seventh Day Adventist Pantry:
  3800 NE 80th Street
  Gladstone, MO 64119
  816-436-2530
   
• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Pantry:
  5409 NW 72nd Street
  Kansas City, MO 64151
  816-741-3150
   
• Harvesters:
  3801 Topping Avenue
  Kansas City, MO 64120
  877-653-9519
   
• Hillside Christian Church Pantry:
  HOPE Wrx
  900 NE Vivion Road
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-453-2623
   
• Metropolitan Lutheran Ministries:
  MLM Northland Food Pantry
  1100 NE Vivion Rd.
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-454-5295
   
• Mimi’s Food Pantry:
  2255 NW Vivion Road, 
  Riverside, Missouri 64150
  Phone: (816) 735-0220
   
• Northland Assistance Center:
  2018 Gentry Street
  North KC, MO 64116
  816-421-2243
   
• Salvation Army - Northland:
  5306 N Oak Trafficway
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-452-5663
   
• SPEAC Food Pantry:
  819 Main Street
  Parkville, MO 64152  
  816-746-1057 
  (Entrance is on 9 Highway - Lower level of Parkville Presbyterian Church)
   
• St. Charles Catholic Church Pantry:
  900 NE Shady Lane
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-468-5153
   
• St. James Lutheran Church:
  1104 NE Vivion Rd.
  Kansas City, MO 64118
  816-452-1018
   
• St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry:
  7207 NW Highway 9
  Kansas City, MO 64152 
  816-741-8661
   
• Vineyard Church:
  12300 Arrowhead Trafficway
  Kansas City, MO 64165
  816-734-8100
   
• United Way: 211:
  United Way 2-1-1 is a free and confidential service that connects people to everyday needs that aren’t quite 9-1-1 emergencies. Simply dial 2-1-1, or visit their website to search for resources on your own.
   
• Northland Human Services Directory:
  This is a list of resources for families who need help.

Park Hill’s department of technology still has a limited number of free wireless hotspots available for families who do not have reliable internet access at home. Families who have no internet access, have low-speed or dial-up internet, or can only access the internet via smart phone are great candidates for this opportunity. For more information about getting a hotspot for use at home, please call 816-359-5000.

To help you deal with your children’s and your own fears about COVID-19, many mental health experts are providing guidance, including the CDC and The Child Mind Institute. You can also watch our webinar, Parenting in Challenging Times: How to Care for your Child and Yourself During this Pandemic. 

Find resources from our school social workers, some of which include food resources, community resources for parents, housing and shelter resources, medical and dental resources, and substance abuse resources.