Update Center

January 5, 2021

Dear PCSC Families,

As the end of Winter Break approaches, we look forward to welcoming students back to school on Wednesday, January 6.  Here are some important reminders and information pertaining to the start of our new semester.  

1. If you or anyone in your household has a pending test for COVID-19, please keep your child/children home until those results are received. 
2. If your child or a member of your household experience COVID-19 symptoms, then please keep your kids home from school until a cause for those symptoms is determined.
3. If you or a member of your household are currently under quarantine, either as a positive case for COVID-19 or as a close contact of someone who has tested positive, please communicate this with your child’s school in order to be provided further guidance before your return.
4. In all of the above circumstances or if you have any questions, please contact your child’s school before he/she returns to ensure the safety of everyone. 

Thank you for your continued support of PCSC and your child’s/children’s schools.

Sincerely,

Andy Hartley
Superintendent

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December 2, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

I am writing to let you know that some revisions to the 2020-21 PCSC School Calendar were approved last night by our school board. A revised calendar is below. In summary, we are identifying 5 days over the next few months as eLearning days in an attempt to provide potential staffing and quarantine relief. The dates below have been identified as eLearning Days.

• Monday, December 21
• Tuesday, December 22
• Friday, January 22
• Friday, February 12
• Friday, March 5

We made this decision now and are communicating this to our families in order to provide as much notice as possible. While these eLearning days are being scheduled in advance, the possibility will remain for classrooms, individual schools, or the entire district to shift to virtual should the need arise.  

ADDITIONALLY, as several messages have been sent recently from our SchoolMessenger platform, I wanted to remind our parents that if you wish to receive text message notifications, you will need to opt-in for that particular messaging. Directions for receiving text messages from our schools are below.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Andy Hartley, Superintendent

2020-2021 PCSC Calendar Revision

SchoolMessenger Text Option.pdf 

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November 29, 2020

Dear PCSC Community,

I would like to begin this email to our school community by first expressing my gratitude.  Every member of our PCSC staff, our students, and our families have played a vital role in our ability to have school and to keep our schools open for in-person instruction for as long as we have.  While we had to pause our in-person instruction for a few days prior to this break, our plan at this time is to return to in-person learning on Monday, November 30.  

Our local health officials continue to state that they believe our schools are a safe place due to the expectations and procedures we have established as a part of our mitigation efforts.  However, even with those procedures, we have experienced the impact of COVID-19.  Specifically, being able to maintain adequate staffing in a building or a particular department is often a challenge due to staff being quarantined.  PCSC is no different than other schools throughout the county, state, and country in that we do not have a large pool of available substitute employees, and when those we do have happen to get quarantined, the staffing difficulty becomes even more complicated.  These factors led us to the recent decision of having three eLearning Days prior to Thanksgiving Break.  The intent was that the time not physically in school will allow those quarantine periods to conclude and we can provide the adequate staffing to resume in-person school upon our return.  As of the time of this email, it is still our plan to resume in-person learning on Monday, 11/30.

As we continue moving forward with in-person learning environments, please be aware of the following:

•  Please contact your school nurse or principal and do not send your child to school under the following conditions:
  •         If anyone in the household is sick with COVID-19 symptoms
  •         If anyone in the household has a pending COVID-19 test
  •         If anyone in the household has tested positive for COVID-19
•  We will attempt to remain open for in-person learning as long as we are able.  The exception to this will be if local health officials determine that we need to close or if we are unable to remain adequately staffed in particular schools or classrooms.  We are looking at other possible relief times we can build into the calendar in order to try to help us remain open for in-person learning and adequately staffed.  More information on this will be forthcoming at a later time.
• Please have contingency plans in case we have to shift to virtual for longer periods of time.  You may have experienced this at an individual level if your student has been quarantined as a close contact.  However, this could happen at the classroom, individual school, or district level.  Our transportation department may also be impacted in that we might have to delay or even cancel certain bus routes due to staffing.  While we will attempt to provide families with as much notice as possible, it may unfortunately happen as late as the morning of the date we need to close and move to virtual.  

Preventative measures have helped us keep our schools open for in-person instruction up to this point.  Good hand hygiene and wearing a mask during school have had a positive impact in mitigating the spread of the virus in our schools.  These protocols will remain with the hope that they will continue to help keep our students and staff safe and able to benefit from the safest possible learning environment.

Lastly, our teachers, administrators, and staff have been amazing in the effort they have put forth in preparing and implementing a quality learning experience in the best environment possible.  As so much is being asked of our educators, we wish to thank them for their relentless commitment to our students and community.  

Sincerely,

Andy Hartley
Superintendent

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August 19, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

I am writing to provide an update on our plans for students to return to school on Monday, August 24.  As we previously communicated, we are still planning to have students return on Monday, August 24th.  We have continued collaborating with the Marshall County Health Department, and they have indicated that we can begin our in-person instruction on Monday.  Those students who have selected the virtual option will remain participating virtually, at least for the remainder of this first quarter. 

Our teachers and schools are ready for those students who will be returning.  Our overall procedures and expectations are sound, and we are confident in the routines and protocols that have been established at the building levels to create a healthy environment for students and staff.

Please continue to reference our PCSC Plan for 2020-21 found on our website.  This document contains information as it relates to our return to school plans and expectations.  I would like to highlight a couple of important points.

Bus transportation will be different this year.  PCSC has eliminated the transfer shuttle at the high school, so students will be picked up and dropped off at different times compared to years past.  If you have signed your child(ren) up to ride a bus this year, you should have received an email from the Transportation Department or you can login to the EZRoute Parent Portal through our website.

Students will be required to wear a facial mask while on the bus.

All students and staff will need to wear a mask throughout the day.  Students will be able to mask down while eating and drinking at lunch or breakfast.  Additionally, younger students will be able to mask down while at recess.

Cafeteria and other procedures throughout the day will look different.  Additionally, students will be washing and/or sanitizing their hands throughout the day more than they might be used to doing.  These changes are made with the attempt to promote the safest environment possible for everyone.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please screen your children every day and if they are not feeling well, do not send them to school.  In those cases, call the school and they will walk you through what the possible next steps are, which can be found in this document.

If we experience a positive case of COVID-19, we will follow the expectations of the Marshall County Health Department and the Indiana State Health Department.  This will include isolating the student for a period of time, as well as identifying and quarantining close contacts of that student.  Close contacts are defined as individuals who were within 6 ft for more than 15 minutes over the 48 hour period prior to symptoms starting.  If your student is told to isolate or quarantine, they will be able to participate virtually during that time.  

Additionally, if we experience a positive case of COVID-19, we will provide notification to the school community that there was a positive case in the school and the steps that were taken.  This information will be limited due to privacy requirements; however, we do feel it is important to notify families.

There may be some situations where we have to close a particular classroom at the lower levels, or an entire school for a period of time - but not the entire district.  It is important to have your contingency plans in place.  If these decisions are made, the students who are impacted will be able to participate virtually.

Also, due to a limited number of substitute bus drivers, there may be times when certain buses are not able to run for a few days or they have to be run after the regular route times.  Every attempt will be made to communicate with families ahead of time if this is the case; however, it is important to make contingency plans now for those potential circumstances.

We are excited to be able to have students return to our schools on Monday.  We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we continue to navigate the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Andy Hartley, Superintendent

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Estimadas Familias de PCSC,

Le escribo para proporcionar una actualización sobre nuestros planes para que los estudiantes regresen a la escuela el lunes 24 de agosto. Como comunicamos anteriormente, todavía estamos planeando que los estudiantes regresen el lunes 24 de agosto. Hemos continuado colaborando con el Departamento de Salud del Condado de Marshall, y han indicado que podemos comenzar nuestra instrucción en persona el lunes. Aquellos alumnos que hayan seleccionado la opción virtual seguirán participando virtualmente, al menos durante el resto de este primer trimestre.

Nuestros maestros y escuelas están listos para los estudiantes que regresarán. Nuestros procedimientos y expectativas generales son sólidos, y confiamos en las rutinas y protocolos que se han establecido en los niveles del edificio para crear un ambiente saludable para los estudiantes y el personal.

Por favor continúe haciendo referencia a nuestro Plan de PCSC de 2020-21 que se encuentra en nuestro sitio web. Este documento contiene información relacionada con nuestros planes y expectativas de regreso a la escuela. Me gustaría resaltar un par de puntos importantes.

El transporte en autobús será diferente este año. PCSC ha eliminado el servicio de traslado en la escuela secundaria, por lo que los estudiantes serán recogidos y dejados en diferentes momentos en comparación con años anteriores. Si ha inscrito a su (s) hijo (s) para viajar en autobús este año, debería haber recibido un correo electrónico del Departamento de Transporte o puede ingresar al  Portal de Padres de EZRoute  a través de nuestro sitio web.

Se requerirá que los estudiantes usen una máscara facial mientras estén en el autobús.

Todos los estudiantes y el personal deberán usar una máscara durante todo el día. Los estudiantes podrán enmascararse mientras comen y beben durante el almuerzo o el desayuno. Además, los estudiantes más jóvenes podrán ponerse la máscara durante el recreo.

La cafetería y otros procedimientos durante el día se verán diferentes. Además, los estudiantes se lavarán y / o higienizarán sus manos durante el día más de lo que podrían estar acostumbrados. Estos cambios se realizan con el objetivo de promover el entorno más seguro posible para todos.

INFORMACIÓN IMPORTANTE ADICIONAL

Por favor examinar a sus hijos todos los días y si no se sienten bien, no los envíe a la escuela. En estos casos, llame a la escuela y ellos le explicarán cuáles son los siguientes pasos posibles, que se pueden encontrar en este documento.

Si experimentamos un caso positivo de COVID-19, seguiremos las expectativas del Departamento de Salud del Condado de Marshall y del Departamento de Salud del Estado de Indiana. Esto incluirá aislar al estudiante por un período de tiempo, así como identificar y poner en cuarentena a los contactos cercanos de ese estudiante. Los cercanos se definen como personas que están dentro de los 6 pies durante más de 15 minutos durante el período de 48 horas antes del inicio de los síntomas. Si a su estudiante se le dice que se aísle o se ponga en cuarentena, podrá participar virtualmente durante ese tiempo.

Además, si experimentamos un caso positivo de COVID-19, notificaremos a la comunidad escolar que hubo un caso positivo en la escuela y los pasos que se tomaron. Esta información estará limitada debido a los requisitos de privacidad; sin embargo, creemos que es importante notificar a las familias.

Puede haber algunas situaciones en las que tengamos que cerrar un aula en particular en los niveles inferiores, o una escuela completa durante un período de tiempo, pero no todo el distrito. Es importante tener sus planes de contingencia en su lugar. Si se toman estas decisiones, los estudiantes afectados podrán participar virtualmente.

Además, debido al número limitado de conductores de autobús sustitutos, puede haber ocasiones en las que ciertos autobuses no puedan funcionar durante unos días o tengan que hacerlo después de los horarios de ruta regulares. Se hará todo lo posible por comunicarse con las familias con anticipación si este es el caso; sin embargo, es importante hacer planes de contingencia ahora para esas posibles circunstancias.

Estamos emocionados de poder tener a los estudiantes regresando a nuestras escuelas el lunes. Agradecemos la paciencia y la comprensión de todos a medida que avanzamos en los próximos días.

Sinceramente

Andy Hartley, Superintendente

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July 30, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

I am writing with an important update regarding the start of the 2020-2021 school year.  Based on a recent recommendation we have received from the Marshall County Health Department to slow the start of in-person school, PCSC will begin the school year virtually for all students. 

The plan for the start of school will be as follows:

August 12 - August 21: All students participate virtually.  

If you have a new student to PCSC, you will be notified by your student’s school regarding how and when to pick up their iPad.

August 24: Students who are registered for in-person learning will return to school following all previously communicated safety protocols.  Students who registered for the virtual option will remain participating virtually.

It is possible if the COVID-19 data we are tracking does not improve to the level needed, some adjustments to this return could occur.  These could include a hybrid return where students attend every other day at certain levels OR in a worse case scenario we continue virtually - although I am optimistic that we will be able to return if our current trends continue.

PLEASE NOTE: All students whose parents have selected to participate virtually full time will remain participating virtually at least through the first quarter.

We have been collaborating closely with the MCHD during the changes in our positive cases of COVID-19 in Marshall County.  When we experienced the significant rise of positive cases recently, we did begin to question our plans for returning to school from a public health perspective.  As those numbers and rates have started to decrease, we are becoming hopeful that an in-person start to school is possible sooner rather than later.  However, based on our current rates, MCHD determined it is best to slow down the start of school.  As such, we feel the best option is to begin virtually for all students for the first eight days of school.  This will allow a little more time to ensure that the downward trend continues to an acceptable level while still starting the school year.

Extracurricular activities that have been operating or have plans to operate, may continue to do so under the direction of their respective administrators.  The cohorting that has been able to occur with these groups, along with the other safety measures being implemented, has been helpful in observing effective protocols.

More specific information from your student’s school will be sent soon. 

Thank you for your understanding and support as we continue to strive to make the best decisions for our schools and our community.

Sincerely,

Andy Hartley, Superintendent

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Estimadas familias de PCSC:

Estoy escribiendo con una actualización importante sobre el inicio del año escolar 2020-2021. Según la recomendación que recibimos del Departamento de Salud del Condado de Marshall para retrasar el inicio del aprendizaje en persona, PCSC comenzará el año escolar prácticamente para todos los estudiantes.

El plan para el inicio de clases será el siguiente:

12 de agosto - 21 de agosto: Todos los estudiantes participan virtualmente.

Si tiene un nuevo estudiante para PCSC, la escuela de su estudiante le notificará sobre cómo y cuándo adquirir su iPad.

24 de agosto: Los estudiantes que están registrados para el aprendizaje en persona regresarán a la escuela siguiendo todos los protocolos de seguridad previamente comunicados.

Es posible si los datos de COVID-19 que estamos rastreando no mejoran al nivel necesario, podrían ocurrir algunos ajustes a este retorno. Estos podrían incluir un retorno híbrido donde los estudiantes asisten cada dos días en ciertos niveles O en el peor de los casos, continuamos virtualmente, aunque estoy optimista de que podremos regresar si nuestras tendencias actuales continúan.

TENGA EN CUENTA: Todos los estudiantes cuyos padres han seleccionado participar virtualmente a tiempo completo seguirán participando virtualmente durante esta transición.

Hemos estado colaborando estrechamente con el MCHD (Departamento de Salud del Condado de Marshall)  durante los cambios en nuestros casos positivos de COVID-19 en el Condado de Marshall. Cuando experimentamos el aumento significativo de casos positivos recientemente, comenzamos a cuestionar nuestros planes para regresar a la escuela desde una perspectiva de salud pública. A medida que esos números y tasas han comenzado a disminuir, tenemos la esperanza de que el inicio de la escuela en persona sea posible más temprano que tarde. Sin embargo, según nuestras tarifas actuales, MCHD consideró que era mejor reducir la velocidad del inicio. Para nosotros, creemos que la mejor opción es comenzar virtualmente para todos los estudiantes durante los primeros ocho días de escuela. Esto permitirá un poco más de tiempo para garantizar que la tendencia a la baja continúe a un nivel aceptable mientras se inicia el año escolar.

Las actividades extracurriculares que han estado operando o tienen planes de operar, pueden continuar haciéndolo bajo la dirección de sus respectivos administradores. La cohorte que ha podido ocurrir con estos grupos, junto con los participantes con máscaras, ha sido útil y ha sido un buen ejemplo.

Pronto se enviará más información de la escuela de su hijo.

Gracias por su comprensión y apoyo mientras continuamos esforzándonos por tomar las mejores decisiones para nuestras escuelas y nuestra comunidad.

Sinceramente,

Andy Hartley

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July 24, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

Since yesterday's update presented new information for some of our families to consider relating to the choice for virtual learning, PCSC has decided to extend the Virtual Learning Registration deadline to Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.

Sincerely,
Andy Hartley, Superintendent

24 de julio, 2020

Estimadas familias de PCSC:

Dado que la actualización de ayer presentó nueva información para algunas de nuestras familias a considerar en relación con la opción de aprendizaje virtual, PCSC ha decidido extender la fecha límite de Inscripción de Aprendizaje Virtual hasta el domingo 26 de julio a las 5:00 p.m.  INSCRIPCIÓN DE APRENDIZAJE VIRTUAL DE PCSC

Sinceramente,
Andy Hartley, Superintendente

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July 23, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

In response to a recent policy change from the Indiana High School Athletic Association, PCSC will permit students who are registered for our full-time virtual option to also be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, as long as those activities are still operating.  

Reminder: Use this PCSC Virtual Learning Registration link to register for the PCSC Virtual Learning option by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 24.

Sincerely,
Andy Hartley, Superintendent

23 de julio, 2020

Estimadas familias de PCSC:

En respuesta al cambio de política reciente de la Asociación de Atletismo de la Escuela Preparatoria de Indiana, PCSC permitirá que los estudiantes que estén registrados para nuestra opción virtual de tiempo completo también sean elegibles para participar en actividades extracurriculares, siempre y cuando esas actividades continúen operando.

Recordatorio: use este enlace para registrarse en la opción de aprendizaje virtual PCSC antes de las 3:00 del viernes 24 de julio. INSCRIPCIÓN DE APRENDIZAJE VIRTUAL DE PCSC

Sinceramente,

Andy Hartley, Superintendent

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July 17, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,
Attached to this email are two important documents pertaining to the start of school for this school year.  The first is a detailed description of our plans for returning to school.  This includes information relating to the school calendar, virtual learning options for students, transportation, and more.  The second document is a summary of those details in a Question and Answer format.

IMPORTANT: If families wish for their child/children to participate in our virtual option, they need to complete the following form by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 2020.  This form contains many important pieces of information regarding the virtual option for this school year.  If you have further questions about this choice, please feel welcome to contact the superintendent’s office or your child’s principal.

PCSC VIRTUAL LEARNING REGISTRATION

All of this can also be found on our website www.plymouth.k12.in.us.

Our experiences with COVID-19 continue to teach us that everything is fluid.  Please understand that any aspect of these plans may change.  Any changes that do occur will be communicated with you as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Andy Hartley, Superintendent

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17 de julio, 2020

Estimadas familias de PCSC:
Adjunto a este correo electrónico hay dos documentos importantes relacionados con el inicio de clases para este año escolar. La primera es una descripción detallada de nuestros planes para regresar a la escuela. Esto incluye información relacionada con el calendario escolar, opciones de aprendizaje virtual para estudiantes, transporte y más. El segundo documento es un resumen de esos detalles en un formato de preguntas y respuestas.

IMPORTANTE: si las familias desean que sus hijos participen en nuestra opción virtual, deben completar el siguiente formulario antes de las 3:00 p.m. el viernes 24 de julio de 2020. Este formulario contiene muchas piezas importantes de información sobre la opción virtual para este año escolar. Si tiene más preguntas sobre esta opción, no dude en comunicarse con la oficina del superintendente o el director de su hijo.

INSCRIPCIÓN DE APRENDIZAJE VIRTUAL DE PCSC

Todo esto también se puede encontrar en nuestro sitio web www.plymouth.k12.in.us

Nuestras experiencias con COVID-19 continúan enseñándonos que todo es fluido. Por favor, comprenda que cualquier aspecto de este plan puede cambiar. Cualquier cambio que ocurra se comunicará con usted lo antes posible.

Agradecemos el continuo apoyo de PCSC a todos.

Sinceramente,
Andy Hartley, Superintendent

June 30, 2020

Dear PCSC Families,

Everyone’s patience and understanding has been greatly appreciated as you have anticipated information relating to our return to school for the 2020-21 school year.  At this time, Plymouth Community Schools is planning to return to in-person instruction on August 12 and follow our current school calendar. Additionally, our summer athletic and extracurricular programs have been given clearance to begin participation according to the guidelines developed by state agencies and our local leaders.  These activities, with restrictions, will begin on July 6.  Further details will be sent by the PHS Athletic Department. 

PCSC has been meeting with school and district leaders, collaborating with the Marshall County Health Department and other Marshall County school districts, and speaking with teachers and parents. A copy of a joint letter from all Marshall County Schools and Marshall County health officials and partners is attached. 

An important and final part of this process is to provide the opportunity for all parents to provide input.  Please feel welcome to participate in this Parent Survey for Plymouth Community School Corporation.  This survey provides us feedback regarding eLearning from the previous school year, as well as some questions relating to the reopening of schools for the 2020-21 school year.   

PCSC will be sharing the PCSC Plan for Reopening Schools in the very near future.  This will include many more details about our return to school and the health and safety measures that will be taken.  In the meantime, if you wish to discuss this process further, please feel free to contact the Superintendent's Office at (574) 936-3115.

Sincerely,

Andy Hartley, Superintendent

Marshall County Letter MCHD Updates

Marshall County Letter MCHD Updates en Español

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April 9, 2020

This message is to provide an update on the PCSC eLearning schedule for the remainder of the school year.  PCSC will remain having eLearning in the month of May on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through May 22.  Additionally, Tuesday, May 5 will be an eLearning Day in order to ensure we reach 160 instructional days for this academic year.

Read or Print the May eLearning Day Calendar Here.

The week of May 26 may have some coordinated virtual celebrations or events from each school; however, the last eLearning day of the year will be Friday, May 22.

Information about other dates or celebrations and the various ways in which schools will be incorporating these into the school year will be communicated as soon as decisions are made.

March 30, 2020

To those who may have traveled to another state for spring break or another reason and who may have returned or may soon be returning, the Marshall County Health Department and Marshall County Emergency Management is asking you to self-quarantine for 14 days once you arrive back to the area. 

The Center for Disease Control does not generally issue advisories or restrictions for travel within the United States. However, cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been reported in many states, and some areas are experiencing community spread of the disease. Crowded travel settings, like airports, may increase chances of getting COVID-19, if there are other travelers with coronavirus infection. There are several things folks should consider when deciding whether it is safe for them to travel and upon returning home. 

Things to consider before travel:

• Is COVID-19 spreading in the area where you’re going?
  If COVID-19 is spreading at your destination, but not where you live, you may be more likely to get infected if you travel there than if you stay home. If you have questions about your destination, you should check your destination’s local health department website for more information.
• Will you or your travel companion(s) be in close contact with others during your trip?
  Your risk of exposure to respiratory viruses like coronavirus may increase in crowded settings, particularly closed-in settings with little air circulation. This may include settings such as conferences, public events (like concerts and sporting events), religious gatherings, public spaces (like movie theatres and shopping malls), and public transportation (like buses, metro, trains).
• Are you or your travel companion(s) more likely to get severe illness if you get COVID-19?
  People at higher risk for severe disease are older adults and people of any age with serious chronic medical conditions (such as heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes). CDC recommends that travelers at higher risk for COVID-19 complications avoid all cruise travel and nonessential air travel.
• Do you have a plan for taking time off from work or school, in case you are told to stay home for 14 days for self-monitoring or if you get sick with COVID-19?
  If you have close contact with someone with COVID-19 during travel, you may be asked to stay home to self-monitor and avoid contact with others for up to 14 days after travel. If you become sick with COVID-19, you may be unable to go to work or school until you’re considered noninfectious. You will be asked to avoid contact with others (including being in public places) during this period of infectiousness.
• Do you live with someone who is older or has a serious, chronic medical condition?
  If you get sick with COVID-19 upon your return from travel, your household contacts may be at risk of infection. Household contacts who are older adults or persons of any age with severe chronic medical conditions are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
• Is COVID-19 spreading where I live when I return from travel?
  Consider the risk of passing COVID-19 to others during travel, particularly if you will be in close contact with people who are older adults or have severe chronic health condition These people are at higher risk of getting very sick. If your symptoms are mild or you don’t have a fever, you may not realize you are infectious.

Community Resources Information

Letters to Families Regarding COVID-19 Procedures & Updates

March 23, 2020 - Parent COVID-19 Spring Testing Decision

March 20, 2020 - PCSC Families Letter in English or PCSC Families Letter in Español

March 15, 2020 - PCSC Families Letter in English or PCSC Families Letter in Español

March 15, 2020 - Community Resources

March 6, 2020 - Letter to PCSC Families

 

Information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Indiana State Department of Health