Sunday, January 3, 2021
Good evening,
I hope this message finds everyone doing well as we have moved right into 2021 like a snap!
Last week I shared information with you by email indicating that we would be going green due to our improved staffing patterns and the county color changing to orange. Within minutes of releasing that email and information, the Morgan County Board of Health notified us that incorrect information regarding county color and positivity rate due to a software glitch at the Indiana State Department of Health was being reported. The state additionally released that they would be changing how they figure the positivity rates. All of these changes made my statement about county color inaccurate. I regret that I said something that was incorrect in my email, but I was reporting what we were told at the time. For this reason, we immediately stopped the auto call many of you regularly receive in an effort to get to the bottom of the matter. It is important to remember there are multiple variables in our decision making regarding the change of our stoplight color. County color is only one variable.
Regardless, the good news, our county positivity rate is moving in the right direction and our number of staff as well as students who are/were out due to COVID-19 continues to reduce. As was stated last week, we will start ALL levels Pre-kindergarten through twelve in green on our first day back, Tuesday, January 5th. Green means students will go to school Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri each week**. On Wednesdays, students will eLearn from home, our schools will be deep cleaned and teachers will participate in professional development for student online learning.
Should you believe your children were exposed or if you have illness in your home, please reach out to a building administrator at your child’s school to discuss any temporary arrangements that may be needed. Please do not send anyone to school who is showing symptoms of COVID-19, or similar illnesses.
Additionally, I am sad to report that we suffered a few tragedies over the last two weeks. These tragedies have impacted our families, particularly at MHS. Two high school aged students who were once part of the class of 2021 passed away in an incident at a nearby gas station just before Christmas. In an unrelated matter, we also learned of the unfortunate passing of a former student who graduated in the summer of 2019. To all these families and our students impacted, we offer our support and our thoughts of peace as everyone mourns these losses. We will have additional mental health professionals on hand Tuesday morning in case anyone needs the additional support.
In closing, thank you for your support of all the great things happening at the MSD of Martinsville as we navigate all of these challenges together. Our students are amazing, our families are resilient and our staff work hard each day to make sure kids can have the best experiences possible. I am confident our 2021 will prove to be one of the best years yet!
Please take care and stay healthy!
Dr. Arthur
