- Parkway Schools
- Health Services
- Coronavirus Update
Coronavirus: What you need to know
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For up to date information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit these resources:
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Children
How to talk to your children about coronavirus
How to talk to your elementary student about coronavirusUpdated April 1, 2020
10:00 am
We want to continue to provide you with the latest information about the coronavirus. We are closely monitoring reports and our staff members continue to be in contact with the St. Louis County Department of Public Health.
Any calls for basic COVID-19 information should be directed to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) activated a statewide public hotline for citizens or providers needing guidance regarding the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The hotline opened and can be reached at 877-435-8411. The hotline is being operated by medical professionals and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they are experiencing symptoms should call the St. Louis County Department of Public Health hotline at 314-615-2660. If you have questions about getting tested for COVID-19, call the Mercy Hospital Hotline at 314-251-0500.We are all under a "Stay at Home" order right now. It is important to not gather with people outside your immediate household at this time as our region tries to slow down the spread of COVID-19.
Updates
March 12, 2020
- Planning for eLearning In the event of school closures, the goals of an emergency eLearning model would be to:
- Continue to provide education during a prolonged closure; and
- Provide some normalcy for students through engagement in learning activities and connection to teachers.
- Chromebooks As a precaution, we are asking students who currently take their Chromebooks home to remember to bring them home over Spring Break. In the event that we need to close school following Spring Break, we would notify you as soon as possible with additional, detailed information on our plans.
We recognize not all students in Parkway have access to Chromebooks and/or a reliable home network. We are working on plans for access to technology and internet for all students, in the event eLearning is needed. - Spring Break Travel As we approach Spring Break, we know many of you will be traveling. Follow CDC travel guidelines for the latest updates which are rapidly changing.
Travel to the following locations, which have experienced community spread of the COVID-19 infection, will result in a 14-day quarantine upon return to the area. This includes international travel to Europe, China, Japan, South Korea and Iran. The CDC also recently issued new guidelines specific to cruise ship travel.
March 11, 2020
- Planning and Prevention Right now, our efforts have focused on planning, prevention and communication. This week, we have also made plans to allow us to quickly implement additional responses and actions as needed.
- Spring Break Travel As we approach spring break, we know many of you will be traveling and we encourage you to use healthy precautions and follow CDC travel guidelines which are being updated frequently.
- Report Symptoms and Reason for Absence As a reminder, please do not send your child to school or come to work if you are sick. If you are sick, please call as soon as possible to report the absence. It is important to report specific symptoms to your school. For example, if your child has a fever, cough or shortness of breath please report those symptoms and share any diagnosis you have received from a doctor.
- Increased Cleaning Efforts We have put additional plans in place to increase the disinfection of schools and buses. Students are being given more opportunities to wash their hands during the school day. Custodians are wiping down high-touch surfaces such as tables, doorknobs, handrails and drinking fountains on a regular basis. We have recently added more disinfection of school buses and cafeteria checkout lines.
- Any calls for basic COVID-19 information should be directed to Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) activated a statewide public hotline for citizens or providers needing guidance regarding the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. The hotline opened and can be reached at 877-435-8411. The hotline is being operated by medical professionals and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they are experiencing symptoms should call the St. Louis County Department of Public Health hotline at 314-615-2660.
For basic questions involving COVID-19, please refer to the guidance and recommendations that are being disseminated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.
- Planning for eLearning In the event of school closures, the goals of an emergency eLearning model would be to:
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Parkway Illness Guidelines:
If your child will not be attending school for any reason, it is very important for you to call and notify the school office of the reason for the absence. This helps us to keep track of illnesses among our students. It also helps us be assured that your child is safe at home. For the health of your child, other students, and school staff, it is important to know when your child should stay home due to illness. Students should stay home if they have had any of the following symptoms:- Fever of 100 or higher in the past 24 hours
- Undiagnosed rash that is accompanied by fever or itching
- Bad cough or difficulty breathing
- Vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours
- Sore throat, with fever or swollen glands in the neck
- Symptoms of being sick such as being unusually tired, fussy, pale or had difficulty waking
If your child has strep throat or another bacterial infection, he/she should stay home until the antibiotic has been given for at least 24 hours and your health care provider has given permission for your child to return to school. We encourage you to seek medical attention when your child is sick and to follow your health care provider's recommendations about returning to school and other social activities.
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and Children
How to talk to your children about coronavirus
How to talk to your elementary student about coronavirus