CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — An announcement from Jefferson County Schools confirms students will be dismissed two hours early on Friday, March 13.
The announcement is part of the school system’s Pandemic Response Plan, now in phase two.
“At this point, there have been no cases of COVID – 19 confirmed in Jefferson County or in West Virginia,” a statement to families said. “However, we always take responsibility for being proactive and, just like you, hope for the best but prepare for the worst.”
Teachers will take the extra time to create instructional packets in the event that school has to be closed for an extended period of time. Service staff will complete a deep clean and sanitization of each school.
“In a worst-case scenario, the CDC recommends that any agency affected shut down for at least 2 weeks,” the announcement said. “Our teaching staff has been working hard to create quality instructional packets, based on our guidelines so that we are prepared. Also, our service staff has been working hard to complete deep cleaning and increase the frequency of re-cleaning during the day. We deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of our staff.”
No decisions have been made about classes on Monday, March 16 or beyond.
One person tested “presumptive positive” for coronavirus in neighboring Loudoun County, Virginia on Tuesday. According to the Loudoun-Times Mirror, the test is pending confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.