NEW PALESTINE — Southern Hancock Schools will shut down a week early for spring break over fears that students had been exposed to the novel coronavirus.
Wes Anderson, director of school and community relations for the district, sent out this news release late Thursday afternoon, March 12:
“Late Thursday afternoon, Community School Corporation of Southern Hancock County administrators received notification of students who were showing symptoms of COVID-19. The district was advised COVID-19 tests were not administered to these students due to a lack of available tests for the virus.
“Because of the uncertainty of this situation and the inability to determine if a case of COVID-19 has been confirmed, the district believes it is in the best interest of the safety of our families and students to close our schools immediately. This is not a decision the district takes lightly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. At this time, closing schools to practice social distancing is the safest decision for our students and community.
“The district is scheduled to return to school after spring break on Monday. April 6, 2020. E-Learning will be utilized for the six remaining instructional days prior to break. All district extra-curricular activities and practices are canceled until school resumes. Competitions scheduled for this weekend that have not already been canceled will go on as scheduled. This includes the boys’ basketball regional game at Southport and the gymnastics state finals at Ball State on Saturday. Our athletes will participate in these events if the IHSAA allows them to occur as scheduled.
“For privacy reasons, we cannot legally disclose any details about the students involved or the schools they attend. All Southern Hancock families should monitor their students closely for symptoms of COVID-19. These symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, or shortness of breath. If you believe your student may be showing symptoms of COVID-19, call your family doctor immediately.
“All six Southern Hancock schools will be open from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Friday, March 13, 2020, for families to retrieve any items that may have been left at school, including medications. After 10 a.m., all buildings will be closed to all students, staff, and our community until further notice with the exception of designated critical CSCSHC personnel. The district will begin a procedure of deep cleaning and disinfecting of all school buildings.”
