Reviewing WWPS Pandemic Response Plan

Late yesterday evening the Seattle Times reported that Governor Inslee will be announcing today that he plans on limiting gatherings of more than 250 people in King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties as a result of COVID-19 (Click here for the article if you are interested in reading). As the Governor's pending announcement will likely spur many questions, I wanted to take this opportunity to reiterate our district's Pandemic Response Plan. It includes detailed information regarding our education, prevention and preparation plans that we continue to collaborate and frame our daily actions around in consultation with WWPS and County health officials.

As of yesterday, we still have no confirmed presumptive positive cases in Walla Walla County (Click here for the County website that logs tests and results daily). County health officials continue to relay that they consider the community at large to be at low risk of exposure, but that we continue to take everyday precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses.

In accordance with our Pandemic Response Plan (outlined below and also available on our website) we continue to find ourselves in Stage Two. As a result we have limited some after-hours gatherings as detailed in our plan. Should a confirmed case be identified in our Walla Walla constituency, we will enter Stage 3 of our plan. This stage, like the one the Governor is enacting on select counties on the west side of our state, would include postponement of all school assemblies, after hours events and outside use of district facilities. To emphasize, we are not in this stage yet and our current plans are to continue with Stage 2 allowable activities. 

Although this correspondence may raise some levels of anxiety, it was meant to relieve the uneasiness that often comes with unanswered questions, speculation and rumor. It is important that we all remain educated, prepared and informed.

I hope that reviewing our District's plan provides a level of comfort that we are prepared and ready to respond, ensuring a safe and productive learning environment for our entire Walla Walla School Community.

Again, Director of Health Services Ruff and I continue to be available if you have any questions about this matter.

Wade Smith, Ed.D.
Superindent

WWPS Epidemic/Pandemic Plan

Preliminary Preparation

· Prepare for a possible communications platform to relay important information to parents, staff and community (e.g. website, email, phone messenger, social media).

· Prepare an education information campaign for students (e.g. “Cover the Cough,” hand-washing, general information about preventative measures).

· Ensure sufficient cleaning supplies such as gloves, anti-bacterial and waterless hand soap & dispensers, are available.

The next steps are identified as Stage responses.

Stage One - This stage would be initiated if/when an epidemic/pandemic virus mutates to person-to-person transmission and arrives on the West Coast of the US.

· WWPS officials consult with local health department on preparation and response plans.

· Custodians emphasize classroom and hard surface disinfecting techniques.

· Initiate communications platform to relay important information to parents, staff and community (e.g. website, email, phone messenger, social media).

· Implement education information campaign for students (e.g. “Cover the Cough,” hand-washing, general information about preventative measures).

· Distribute to parents and staff information regarding personal preparedness and prevention strategies.

· Develop continuity of operations protocols to ensure critical functions remain intact (e.g. life-safety, payroll, facilities, technology, communications).

Stage Two – This stage would be initiated when a presumptive positive case appears in eastern Washington and/or northeastern Oregon.

· Begin outreach and consultation with medically-fragile students/faculty and those with serious underlying health conditions.

· WWPS officials consult again with local health department on preparation and response plans.

· Begin “Social Distancing” practices in school and classroom settings.

· Continue education information campaign with students and families.

· Postpone select assemblies/gatherings where higher-risk circumstances (e.g. food being served or close physical contact conditions of guests are present) or when it relies/necessitates higher-risk population attendance (e.g. elderly or those with severe underlying health condition).

· Prepare for the possible closure of schools and subsequent recovery actions.

· Consider nutrition service, 504, and IDEA coordination and implications for fragile families/students should schools be closed.

Stage Three – This stage would be initiated when a presumptive positive case appears in a Walla Walla Community Member and probability of person-to-person transmission is likely to occur in the local area.

· Continue outreach and consultation with medically-fragile students/faculty and those with serious underlying health conditions.

· WWPS officials continue consultation with local health department on preparation and response plans.

· Ensure robust “Social Distancing” practices occur in school and classroom settings.

· Continue education information campaign with students and families.

· Postpone all assemblies, events, and outside use of district facilities.

· Prepare for the possible closure of schools and subsequent recovery actions.

· Consider nutrition service, 504, and IDEA coordination and implications for fragile families/students should schools be closed.

Stage Four – This stage would be initiated when either state or the county officials instruct one or more schools to close, or a seminal event occurs involving a student, staff or community member that necessitates school and/or district closure.

· Schools and all school activities are closed/cancelled.

· Deep cleaning of sites in accordance with County Health recommendations.

· Depending on the length of closure, mitigating measures to support limited educational experiences may be deployed (e.g. mailing home of educational learning packets for students, Google Classroom learning experiences for secondary students, web-based learning portals to support parents/students)

Recovery Stage – This stage begins when schools are re-opened.

· WWPS works with OSPI related to make-up day guidance resulting from school closure and lost instructional time.

· Communication with unions, parents, and community regarding implications stemming from school closures.

This initial plan will be reviewed and modified as new information and guidelines become available. Agencies and circumstances beyond the District’s control will determine many of the District’s responses.