Dear Hutchinson Public School Staff and Families,
Each Friday the Reno County Health Department releases the 14-day PTR (positive test rate) and the 14-day new case average. The data released dictates the gating criteria color we follow for the coming week. COVID-19 in Reno County continues to trend upward.
Reno County is in the RED Zone for the week of Dec. 14, 2020. We will continue to be in the modified hybrid learning model. Monday and Wednesday will be Group A in-person attendance days and Tuesday and Thursday will be Group B in-person attendance days.
Currently the numbers are:
- 14-Day PTR: 49.2%
- 14-day New Case Count: 1,106 cases
This is the ninth consecutive week that Reno County schools have been in the RED Zone.
The district’s Board of Education will discuss gating criteria, the learning model and when school will restart after the holidays at its meeting on Monday, Dec. 14, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live at www.facebook.com/usd308.
Additionally, a community committee has been formed to advise the superintendent about COVID-19 and other issues as they arise. Information about the committee and minutes of the first meeting are available at https://www.usd308.com/page/superintendents-committee. A survey of the committee about their thoughts on the learning model in January will be posted on Monday.
Reno County Health Order 20-04 has been put into place. This limits mass gatherings to 10 people, this does not include public and private business/school functions. However, social distancing of more than 6 feet is highly recommended at work, and mandated at sporting events and social functions. A community effort is needed to decrease the COVID-19 cases in Reno County and get our kids to in-person school settings.
We need to work together as a community taking measures to decrease our case counts in Reno County, so that we can move our gating metrics to Orange, Yellow or Green. Community COVID-19 testing continues in Reno County. Community tests for the next week are:
- Tuesday, December 15, Kansas State Fair Oz Building Breezeway, 4 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday, December 19, Kansas State Fair Oz Building Breezeway Hutchinson KS 67502 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 22, Kansas State Fair Oz Building Breezeway Hutchinson KS 67502 4 to 7 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 29, Kansas State Fair Oz Building Breezeway Hutchinson KS 67502 4 to 7 p.m.
To ensure privacy, everyone wanting to be tested MUST schedule an appointment with Reno County Health Department at 1-844-834-3657.
Sincerely,
Mike Folks,
Hutchinson USD 308 Superintendent