Mask requirement extended at Clay County Schools

Clay County Schools, News
clay county school mask requirement meeting

HAYESVILLE, NC: At the called meeting on September 7, the Clay County Board of Education decided to continue the mask mandate until the COVID-19 numbers decrease.

The decision was unanimous.

The board will review the policy every month. NC General Assembly issued two policy options for school systems regarding masks, but one must be approved every month. Option A is a mask mandate, and option B is guidelines for mask optional protocols.

Superintendent Dale Cole recommended the mask requirement continue for the time due to COVID-19 numbers.

The original mandate was initiated on August 18. 

The first three weeks of classes indicated COVID-19 quarantines have almost every week. Children’s positive cases grew significantly week over week, with 17 positive students on week one, 26 week two, and 45 week three. Staff positive cases have remained constant for the time being at three total.

graph of COVID-19 data at Clay County Schools

Superintendent Cole explains the cumulative COVID-19 numbers.

The schools did rework their lunchroom protocol and seating to prevent possible exposures during lunchtime. As of week three, 74 students were exposed during lunch.

In the high school, 77 students (over 20 percent) were in quarantine. The middle school has 60 in quarantine.

Teachers have expressed the difficulty of teaching students remotely and in person, and some feel that masks are necessary right now. However, all enjoy being back in the classroom with students and instructing face to face.

Additionally, the board approved the recommendation to let the superintendent shut down a school or make it virtual without calling a board of education meeting. The measure deals specifically with a public health emergency.

“As long as we have staff available…we can have school for 10 kids if that’s all we have. The problem is when we don’t have the staff to monitor the safety of the students,” Superintendent Cole explained.

Cole feels like having school virtual is better than not having school at all. Virtual might be the best option for specific situations if a teacher can work while in quarantine.

The majority of substitutes are older and are unsure about entering a school system during the pandemic. Additionally, each school typically needs a certain amount of substitutes each day on a typical day.

https://youtu.be/XMde9zNSdOA

Online learning deadline extended until August 27

Business
Clay County Board of Education online learning

HAYESVILLE, NC – Clay County Board of Education opted to allow parents who wanted to move their children to online learning can do so until August 27.

Councilmember Kelly Crawford made the motion to extend until the 27 after some discussion on the best date. It was a unanimous vote.

“I want to reiterate with that, that’s it unless there’s a medical exemption. Once [parents or students] do that, they’re remote all fall,” Crawford clarified.

Initially, parents had until August 18 to move their children to online learning. Since that date, six parents came forward asking for the option. Three requests came from the elementary school, two from the middle school, and one from the high school.

The school system instated a mask requirement for students on August 18, 2021, before they returned in the fall.

“Our data shows that most of our kids are not successful fully remote, so that’s upfront. About 15 percent of our students have shown that they can be successful or have the support structure necessary to be successful in a fully remote environment,” Superintendent Dale Cole commented.

He added his recommendation that if the board lengthened the remote option, students must be remote for the entire semester. The back and forth between online and in-person creates additional stressors on students and teachers.

“When we voted to provide remote learning, it was going to be conditional for those who truly needed this option and not for those just wanted it to opt out of class for some reason,” Councilmember Reba Beck stated, “that doesn’t seem to be an issue.”

The move doesn’t apply to children in quarantine—the school system’s required by law to instruct the students who must quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. Also, approved medical waivers let students enter homebound instruction based on their needs.

Clay County Board of Education voted to move law firms concerning foreclosure notices in the county. The previous firm wasn’t providing efficient communication concerning issues such as land foreclosures in the area. No one at the firm has responded to an email since February 2021.

The administration is in talks to hire a new firm out of Ashville, NC.

https://youtu.be/BZ8Nwh_OI0c

Clay board of education enacts mask requirement for students

News
mask requirement

HAYESVILLE, Ga – Clay County Board of Education issued a mask mandate just a few days before the start of the school year.

The policy will revisit the decision on September 7 to determine if the mask requirement needs to continue. On July 26, the board decided masks could be a parent option. At that time, Clay County reported only 10 active cases.

As of August 18, Clay County recorded 64 active cases, 2 positive school staff, 1 quarantined, 13 positive students, and 21 quarantined students.

Federal regulation already mandates masks to always be worn on buses. Disposable masks will be available on every bus. Additionally, the school system will provide five cloth masks to students.

Towns County Elementary closed this week because of staff and student cases within the school. Towns County began the 2021-2022 year just two weeks ago.

Several factors went into the decision including NCDHHS and Strong Schools quarantine guidelines and learning habits of Clay County Schools (CCS) students.

“The goal is to have face-to-face instruction at least five days per week as close to normal as possible,” Superintendent Dale Cole explained. “Our second graders have never had a full year of school.”

NCDHHS policy states that students within close contact with a positive case while wearing a mask do not need to quarantine. However, both students the positive case and potentially exposed child need to be properly wearing a mask at the time. The quarantine exemption does not include extracurricular activities or athletics, just the classroom setting.

“Optional masking will likely lead to multiple quarantines among students and staff creating default remote instruction for much of the time the next few months,” Cole stated. “So as the situation changes, we have to make decisions.”

Board Chairperson Jason Shook explained that a majority of students struggled to adjust to online education and forcing a child to juggle between in-person and online isn’t beneficial to them.

Data from last year showcased the learning hurdles, especially in math. For the majority of 2020-2021, students were either online or only in person two to three days a week.

The health department has final authority on who needs to quarantine or not. The school can’t override a decision made by the health department.

Online Learning Option

The virtual option will continue to be available for parents who requested it. As of August 18, 44 requests had been made. Superintendent Cole explained the number could drop with a mask mandate in place.

The cost of virtual learning per student is between $1,500 – $2,000 for K-8 and $3,000 for high schoolers. CCS has federal funding to cover these costs. The board will revisit the necessity of the online option for the second semester.

To try and limit community spread, the schools will be disinfected on Wednesdays and weekends. Field trips will be canceled or postponed for the next month.

Visitors will be allowed in the office area only and must wear masks.

As far as sporting events, masks must be worn on the sidelines and on activity buses. Spectators aren’t expected to wear masks at this time. Gyms will be disinfected after every game. CCS policy for athletics mirrors the procedures in place with the rest of the conference.

https://youtu.be/cQSi7CmwZ5A

No masks required at CCS for now

News
masks

HAYESVILLE, NC – Clay County students will be returning on August 23, 2021, and this year masks are optional for students and staff for now.

During the July 26, 2021 board meeting, the members voted to not require masks for the upcoming year. However, parents can send their children to school masked if that’s their preference.

83 percent of teachers were in favor of optional masks for this school year. School nurses recommended following NCDHHS and CDC guidance, which requires masks for K-8 for all staff and students. They cited masks’ effectiveness last year.

Only 1 percent of 12–17-year-olds in Clay County have been vaccinated and 34 percent of residents are fully vaccinated.

Current CDC guidance asks that everyone, including vaccinated individuals, wear a mask indoors if in an area of substantial or high transmission. Clay County is listed as a high transmission community by the CDC. Case data demonstrated a 22 percent change in 7-day totals in the area. Many southern states are seeing COVID-19 cases rise as the Delta variant works its way across the region.

Since Clay County Schools (CCS) aren’t requiring masks, online learning will remain an option for families who don’t want to potentially expose their children to COVID-19. However, this year, the school system will be using an online academy. CCS teachers won’t be providing in-person and remote learning to students.

Parents who wish to participate in online learning must inform their child’s principal by August 18.

Any student moved to fully remote instruction during Semester 1 must remain on fully remote instruction through December 22, 2021.

The parent must notify the principal that the student will be returning for Semester 2 by December 17th.

Cautionary measures such as quarantine and isolation for students and staff who are exposed, experiencing symptoms, or test positive for COVID-19 will remain in place.

CCS board applied for grant funding for onsite COVID-19 during the board meeting as well. If received, the $100,000 grant would connect them to a vendor for rapid tests, in-depth testing, and the hiring of either a nurse or nurse’s assistant.

Parents still have the option to refuse the testing of their child for COVID-19.

The in-house testing should help CCS isolate COVID-19 cases within the school system and hopefully prevent quarantining of entire classrooms.

https://youtu.be/OR9Wn9Rw9kw

COVID-19 Supports Still Available for Youth and Young Adults Transitioning from Foster Care

Community, Press Release
foster care

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging young adults (Ages 18-21) eligible for the state’s extended foster care program who left the program during the COVID-19 Pandemic due to their age to apply for re-entry to receive available services and support.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law Dec. 27, 2020, continues to provide emergency relief to young people in or transitioning from foster care who are struggling because of the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic created challenges for us all and these challenges are especially complex for young adults transitioning from foster care,” said Carla McNeil, Child Welfare Permanency Planning Section Chief. “We want to encourage all young adults, who are currently or were formerly in foster care, to take full advantage of the supports and resources available to them so they can achieve optimal success.”

Some of the services and supports provided by the Foster Care 18 to 21 and the NC LINKS programs include funding to assist with the following expenses:

  • Transportation
  • Rent
  • Supplement income
  • Food and other basic household needs

Under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, young adults ages 18–21 who exited the Foster Care 18 to 21 program during the pandemic due to their age must be provided the opportunity to re-enter the program. This applies to young adults 21 and older who left the program during the COVID-19 public health emergency, as defined under this law as between Jan. 27, 2020–April 20, 2021.

Young adults are allowed re-entry and access to services under this federal requirement until Sept. 30, 2021.

These young adults, and those who have remained in the program during the pandemic, should not be terminated from or denied entry into the program due to currently failing to meet the education or employment eligibility criteria.

NCDHHS’ Division of Social Services and local departments of social services are committed to the well-being of all North Carolina’s children, youth and young adults. The Child Welfare Services’ Foster Care 18 to 21 program and the NC LINKS program support the state’s youth and young adults in accessing the tools necessary to transition to an independent, self-sufficient adult.

For more information about how youth and young adults can access the Foster Care 18 to 21 and NC LINKS programs, contact your local department of social services; the State LINKS Program Coordinator, Erin Conner at [email protected] or (919) 801-0369; or the Foster Care 18 to 21 Program Coordinator LeAnn McKoy at [email protected] or (919) 527-6375.

Governor Cooper Outlines Timeline for Lifting State’s COVID-19 Restrictions

News, Press Release
racial equity Juneteenth covid-19 restrictions

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. laid out a timeline for lifting current pandemic restrictions today. With stable trends and continued vaccination success, the state expects to lift mandatory social distancing, capacity, and mass gathering restrictions by June 1. The Governor plans to issue an executive order next week outlining safety restrictions for the month of May.

“Each shot in an arm is a step closer to putting this pandemic in the rearview mirror,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians have shown up for each other throughout this entire pandemic and we need to keep up that commitment by getting our vaccines.”

North Carolina continues to focus on distributing vaccines quickly and equitably. This fast and fair approach to getting shots in arms is the best way to beat this pandemic, protect one another, boost the economy and make it possible for restrictions to be lifted.

To date, the state has administered over 6.5 million vaccines. 46.9 percent of adults are at least partially vaccinated, and 35.1 percent are fully vaccinated. More than 76 percent of people 65 and older have had at least one shot.

With vaccine now widely available across the state – often with no wait for an appointment, all North Carolinians 16 and older can plan to take their shot. The state anticipates lifting the mask mandate and easing other public health recommendations, once two thirds of adult North Carolinians have received at least one vaccine dose and if trends remain stable.

“We are at an exciting moment. We now have enough vaccine for everyone,” said Secretary Cohen. “If you are 16 and older, it is your turn to join the more than 3.6 million North Carolinians who have already taken their first shot. It’s up to you to get us to the two thirds goal as quickly as possible so we can live with this virus and begin to put this pandemic behind us.”

Gov. Cooper and Sec. Cohen urged North Carolinians continue to get vaccinated and exercise good judgment even when restrictions are lifted. Businesses should continue to follow voluntary health recommendations and North Carolinians should continue to take safety measures in order to boost the economy, keep children in schools and protect each other.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released statistics indicating that North Carolina is among the states with the fewest deaths and fewest job losses per capita.

State health officials are continuing to monitor the presence of COVID-19 and its more contagious variants in North Carolina, which is why it is important to continue to follow the state’s mask mandate and continue to practice safety precautions, including the Three Ws—wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart, and wash hands often.

NCDHHS piloting home tests for COVID-19

Community, News, Press Release
home tests

RALEIGH — While vaccine supplies are limited, it is important North Carolinians continue practicing the 3Ws and get tested for COVID-19 if they have symptoms or have been in close contact to someone with COVID-19. To help reach those who are need of testing, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Labcorp, is piloting a program to provide 35,000 no-cost, home test collection kits to North Carolinians receiving Food and Nutrition Services and/or are disabled and experiencing barriers to getting tested.

Starting Friday, eligible North Carolina residents can request a Pixel by Labcorp™ COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit be shipped overnight directly to their homes. The test kit includes test supplies (nasal swab, sample container, etc.), detailed instructions and prepaid specimen return shipping materials to make mailing samples back to Labcorp for testing easy and convenient. Results are typically reported back to the individual within 24 to 48 hours from the time the specimen is received at the lab. Once processed by Labcorp, test results are accessed by the customer via the Pixel by Labcorp website.

The program’s initial pilot is designed to provide testing resources to individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 or who may have been exposed and are members of the following eligible populations:

  • Beneficiaries of North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services (formerly called the Food Stamp Program), who may have difficulty accessing existing state-funded testing sites and resources
  • Persons with disabilities such as cognitive/intellectual, physical and sensory, substance abuse, mental health and other disabilities that impact their ability to access COVID-19 testing sites

Visit www.pixel.labcorp.com/nc to learn more about eligibility, see frequently asked questions, and request and receive a test kit through the pilot program.

“As a North Carolina-based company that is committed to quality healthcare for all, we are delighted to collaborate on this important initiative. We believe this program will help protect some of our most vulnerable citizens and promote health and safety in our communities,” said Brian Caveney, M.D., chief medical officer and president, Labcorp Diagnostics.

NCDHHS is committed to expanding access to testing across the state to slow the spread of COVID-19 and help North Carolinians protect their communities and families safe. This program represents one of many efforts the state is taking to ensure all North Carolinians can get tested for COVID-19.

The Pixel by Labcorp™ COVID-19 PCR Test Home Collection Kit is a molecular test that detects the presence or absence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. It is also known as a reverse polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT).

Clay County Schools learning diagnostics demonstrate marked improvement

Clay County Schools, News
learning

HAYESVILLE, NC – The first I-Ready diagnostic showcased the learning loss impact associated with online learning, but the mid-year tests displayed across the board improvements.

At Hayesville Primary, the tier three students, or those at least two years below grade level, decreased by three percent from the August diagnostics in reading. The students at or above grade level, tier one, increased by 10 percent in reading. First grade reading earned the greatest increase by 11 percent.

At the halfway mark, reading was a little behind on median progress at 38 percent. Typically, the administration likes to be at 50 percent at this time of year.

In grade kindergarten through second math, the tier three students dropped by eight percent, and the tier one students increased by eight percent. The median growth for math was slightly higher than reading at 41 percent.

The primary school also implemented new reading and math curriculum this year. Test scores tend to drop during curriculum application years.

Superintendent Dale Cole reminded everyone that last year from March on all students were fully remote and they started the 2020-2021 school year with only two days of in-person learning. Later in the Fall term, North Carolina moved to four days of in-person instruction with one remote day.

Hayesville Elementary School, grades three through five grew into tier one by 17 percent and shrunk tier three by nine percent. Third grade significantly expanded tier one from 39 to 72 percent in reading.  As for math, tier three students dropped by 12 percent and tier one increased by 20 percent overall. Fourth grade math reduced tier three students by 28 percent, moving several students out of the at least two years below grade level category.

At the Hayesville Middle School, they too saw a drop in tier three students by five percent overall in reading. Seventh grade achieved the biggest increase to tier one by 11 percent. In math, tier three decreased by 4 percent overall. Sixth grade experienced the most significant drop in tier three while seventh grade substantially grew into tier 1. However, eighth grade tests appeared stagnant due to difficulty getting students to participate, only 61 of 95 students took the I-Ready diagnostic.

Hayesville Middle Assistant Principal Heather Plemmons commented, “If the pandemic has shown use anything, it’s the value of teachers.”

Assistant Principal Heather Plemmons

Assistant Principal Heather Plemmons

The high school presented the fall term end of course test (EOC) scores in biology, English, math, and ACT/Workkey.  In biology, 57 students took the test and 56.14 percent were proficient. Out of that number, 21 were predicted to not meet the standards. The school looked into the four people who were expected to test well and found that 2 were remote students.

In english II, 39 students took the EOC and 38.46 tested proficient. Three more were expected to earn a passing grade and one of those was a remote student.

14 students sat for the math I EOC and 42.86 percent were proficient. Five other students were predicted to test well, and two of those were remote. In math III, 81.82 percent earned a proficient score with eight more students expected to pass but did not. Two of those students were remote.

The ACT/Workkeys had a 74.68 percent proficiency which was a 13 percent increase over a two-year period.

All schools are working to continue to improve students’ knowledge and test scores through after school tutoring and check-ins. The high school also has mentoring programs with 12 mentors and 78 students participating. A credit recovery program is also in place for high school students that didn’t pass their EOC. Essentially, under the guidance of a teacher, students can work on the standard that they didn’t earn a passing score, and retest just for proficiency in that standard. The program keeps students on track to graduate.

https://youtu.be/cbqKAoC_Fx0

Clay County Schools going remote until February 7

Clay County Schools, News
Today, Clay County Schools, working in partnership with the Clay County Health Department, identified several positive cases of COVID-19 amongst our staff and students. After completing some initial contact tracing, it was clear that the number of staff that would be required to quarantine due to contact with a positive, or due to their own children having contact with a positive, was going to go beyond the number of substitute teachers available to cover classes. If we do not have enough adults to supervise our classes, we cannot safely have face to face school.
As a result, Clay County Schools will be moving to remote only for all schools beginning Tuesday, January 26 through February 7th. Face to face students and all staff will return to our normal schedule on February 8th. Students should check SeeSaw or Google Classroom daily for their assignments. Attendance will be taken as normal. Please direct questions to your child’s school.
Any students or staff that are contact-traced to a positive case of COVID-19 will be notified by their school by tomorrow.
Any families in need of meals can pick them up on Tuesday by driving through the bus circle at Hayesville Primary School from 8:15 am-9:15 am. We will be working on setting up yellow bus deliveries of meals later this week if it is possible. Further information will be released about meal deliveries later this week.
All student athletes currently playing sports should still plan to attend practices and games unless notified otherwise by their coach or principal.
On behalf of the Clay County Board of Education, I want the community to know that we do not come to the decision to go full remote lightly. We have done everything we can to maximize as much face to face learning as possible under the Governor’s mandate since March of 2020. However, the safety of our students and staff must come first, and we have finally reached an obstacle that we will not be able to overcome for the next two weeks. We appreciate your patience as we work through this together as a community. Thank you and have a good evening.

North Carolina Introduces COVID-19 County Alert System

News, Press Release
relief

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announced a new COVID-19 County Alert System to pinpoint counties with the highest levels of viral spread and offer specific recommendations to bring numbers down. This system will help give local leaders another tool to understand how their county is faring and to make decisions about actions to slow viral spread. The map will be updated every four weeks.

“By pinpointing counties with high virus transmission and asking everyone in those counties to work with us and do more right now to slow the spread of the virus, we can succeed,” Governor Cooper said. “It can help bring down their case rates, keep their communities safer, save lives and keep their hospital systems working.”

“It’s going to take all of us working together to avoid tightening restrictions like so many states are now doing,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen. “The COVID-19 County Alert System gives North Carolinians an easy way to see how their county is doing and know what they can do protect their family and neighbors and slow the spread of this virus.”

The system uses metrics informed by the White House Coronavirus Task Force and North Carolina’s key metrics to categorize counties into three tiers:

Yellow: Significant Community Spread

Orange: Substantial Community Spread

Red: Critical Community Spread

Because no one metric provides a complete picture, the COVID-19 County Alert System uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county.

To be assigned to the red or orange tier, a county must meet the threshold for case rate for that tier AND the threshold for either percent positive OR hospital impact.

  • Case Rate: The number of new cases in 14 days per 100,000 people
  • Percent Positive: The percent of tests that are positive over 14 days
  • Hospital Impact: A composite score based on the impact that COVID-19 has had on hospitals including percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations, COVID-19 related visits to the Emergency Department, staffed open hospital beds, and critical staffing shortages over 14 days

Counties that do not meet criteria for red or orange are categorized as being in the yellow tier (significant community spread) and should continue to be vigilant to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

Recommended Actions

The Alert System includes recommendations for individuals, businesses, community organizations and public officials in every county, as well as specific stepped-up recommendations for orange and red counties.

Ask The Doc! Fighting Off Covid-19

Community, Lifestyle
Ask The Doc! Recovery Process Of Covid-19

This morning, The doctors address a comment left on one of the Ask The Doc Segments. What drugs are good for fighting off Covid-19 or do we just wait on a vaccine? The Doctors also address the President and first lady testing positive for Covid-19. What do the Doctors have to say about testing positive with no symptoms? When could he have contracted the virus? How long has he had it? All this and more on Ask The Doc!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rHHkEdwlKE

Ask The Doc! College And Covid-19

Lifestyle
Ask The Doc! Recovery Process Of Covid-19

This morning, the doctors discuss how colleges are dealing with Covid-19. When a Student tests positive, the colleges continue classes and give the infected student their own quarantined dorm. Is this the approach we should be taking with everything? Should we worry over the numbers? Hear Doctor Whaley and Doctor Tidman’s point of view on this right here on Ask the Doc!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBLFwj_Lmr4

Free COVID-19 testing at Mountain Home Health Services on Wednesday

Community
free covid-19 testing

RALEIGH: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has 55 upcoming community testing events scheduled in Cabarrus, Chatham, Clay, Gaston, Jackson, Montgomery, Robeson, Rowan, Scotland, Wake and Wayne counties as part of the initiative to increase access to no-cost COVID-19 testing, particularly for African American, LatinX/Hispanic and American Indian communities that currently have limited testing sites.

The testing at Mountain Home Health Services will take place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26 at 115 Mountain Home Nursing Ln, Hayesville, NC 28904.

There is no cost to people getting tested. Insurance, if available, will be billed but there are no co-pays or cost-sharing for anyone seeking testing. Those who are uninsured are also tested at no cost.

Children can also receive testing during the event. For more information call (828) 479-6434.

For an up-to-date list of events, visit the Community Testing Events page of the NCDHHS COVID-19 website. NCDHHS testing events are listed under their coordinating vendor, NCCHCA (North Carolina Community Health Center Association).

A disproportionately high percentage of North Carolina’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 have occurred among historically marginalized populations, and mounting evidence shows the members of these populations experience higher rates of COVID-19 mortality and serious complications.

People who may not currently have symptoms but may have been exposed to COVID-19 should get tested, especially people from historically marginalized communities, including Latinx/Hispanic, Black/African American, and American Indian populations. In addition, testing is a priority for anyone who has symptoms or those who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

North Carolinians can find testing sites available in their community by visiting Find My Testing Place and Community Testing Events on the NCDHHS website. Check the Community Testing Events page daily for more events provided by NCDHHS in partnership with the North Carolina Community Health Center Association.

Clay County Students will attend classes two days a week

Clay County Schools, Community, News
clay county students

HAYESVILLE, N.C. – Clay County Schools have opted for a two cohort model once students return to class for the 2020-2021 year.

All schools except for the pre-k will follow an A/B schedule. Students will be broken into two groups. The A group will go to school on Monday and Tuesday while the B group attends class on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday will be a virtual learning day for students and a deep cleaning day at the school.

Parents and guardians can also select to place their children in entirely online learning.

At Hayesville Primary, elementary, and middle schools the teachers will change classes, not the students. Hayesville High School (HHS) students will be switching classes because the majority, 43.9 percent of parents voted for that option.

Homes with multiple school-age children will have those children placed in the same cohort so they can attend school on the same days. Cohorts will consist of 150 to 200 students.

School survey responses from parents and teachers.

With the two day model, students can receive two days of attending all their 90-minute learning blocks in a controlled environment. They also have access to all school amenities including teachers, high-speed internet, counseling, and tech support.

This model isn’t the safest option due to the potential exposure of 150 to 200 students twice a week. It also places the heaviest load on teachers who must create lessons for in-person and remote children.

Schools will release information about which Clay County students will be in Cohort A and Cohort B on Wednesday, August 5 at 4:00. Students in Cohort A will attend each week on Monday and Tuesday beginning August 17. Students in Cohort B will attend each week on Thursday and Friday beginning August 20.

33 percent of parents selected fully remote learning in the return to school survey.

As for faculty, 45 percent of HHS staff were in favor of fully remote, and 30 percent chose the two cohort model.

If the school or county reaches a five percent COVID-19 infection rate, a decision will be made about closing the school buildings again. Currently, Clay County is at a less than one percent infection rate.

All students attending in-person classes will always be required to wear a mask with scheduled outdoor breaks. Faculty and students will be given five masks from the state. They must wash masks at home and can decorate the masks.

During break times, students will separate and safely remove their masks. They won’t be allowed to congregate in groups at any time during the school day. Students will always be sat six feet apart.

Remote learning children will be locked into the program for five weeks at a time. Parents must contact the school by September 11 if they wish to transition their child back into in-person instruction. Students can switch from in-person to remote at any time. In both instances, the principal must be notified ahead of time.

The Pre-K school will be fully open five days a week.

Clay County Schools Superintendent Dale Cole reviewed this model with stakeholders and the Clay County Health Department and all felt comfortable moving forward with this model.

N.C. agriculture workers and farmers receive PPE

Business
Farmers PPE

RALEIGH: The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is taking further action to prevent and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks among the agricultural workforce and farmers, delivering critical personal protection equipment (PPE) for use by agricultural workers across the state.

“Agriculture is vital to our economy and food supply and it is critical that we protect farmworkers and their families from this virus,” said Governor Cooper.

Farmworkers are deemed an essential workforce and it is imperative that people who cultivate and harvest North Carolina’s wide variety of crops are protected. To support prevention efforts that are proven to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, NCDHHS is implementing its plan this week to deliver over 900,000 masks and other infection control supplies to North Carolina Cooperative Extension county centers across the state for distribution to farms and agricultural operations. In addition to masks, the deliveries included hand sanitizer and cloth face coverings for workers to take home.

Thirty-one counties have been selected to receive the first delivery, including: Alamance, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Franklin, Granville, Greene, Guilford, Harnett, Henderson, Johnston, Lee, Lenoir, Lincoln, Martin, Mecklenburg, Nash, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Wake, Wayne, Wilson.

“Many of our farmworkers live in group housing, putting them at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19. Providing masks is one way we are helping to protect workers,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen.

NCDHHS is partnering with N.C. Cooperative Extension, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), the N.C. Department of Labor (NCDOL) and the N.C. Agromedicine Institute to expedite a delivery plan and raise awareness about this resource among the farming community.

“Some of these supplies have been difficult for farmers to source as demand has exceeded supply. I am grateful that farmworkers and farmers have been prioritized for these much-needed materials,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The health of our farmers and farm workers is very important because we all rely on them every day.”

This initiative builds on earlier measures North Carolina has taken with state and local partners to protect the agricultural workforce. Previous and ongoing actions include:

  • Released the Interim Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Guidance for Migrant Farmworkers, their Employers, and Housing Providers.
  • Providing targeted funding to farmworker health programs to purchase protective equipment and infection control supplies and support additional staff needed to support COVID-19 response efforts.
  • Providing virtual trainings and webinars for farmworker health programs and other health agencies regarding COVID-19 prevention and outbreak response.
  • Providing virtual webinars for farmers to prepare and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks
  • Developed a toolkit of COVID-19 educational materials targeting farmworkers and other essential workers.
  • Migrant outbreak response team supporting collaboration between health departments, federally qualified health centers and farmworker health programs to respond to outbreaks and provide patient support and health care.
  • Launched an internet connectivity project to support internet access at migrant housing to facilitate access to health information, screenings and virtual medical visits.
  • NCDOL issued “Farmworkers and the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Temporary Worker COVID-19 Guidance”. NCDOL also implemented procedures to approve temporary, emergency isolation and quarantine housing for migrant farmworkers.
  • NCDA&CS released “The Necessity of PPE for Agricultural Operations” and “Notice of Temporary Agricultural Worker Bulk Purchase Authorization for groceries for farms housing workers,
  • NC State Extension launched a COVID-19 Resources and Information website, including educational materials for farmers and farmworkers, to support N.C. agribusinesses throughout the pandemic.

A list of congregate living settings with outbreaks is available on the NCDHHS website

Confirmed Positive COVID-19 Test at the Clay County Care Center

Community, News, Press Release
Clay County Care Center COVID-19 numbers asymptomatic physicians
HAYESVILLE, NC – The Clay County Health Department (CCHD) received confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test for a resident at the Clay County Care Center. The individual is in isolation at a local hospital. To protect individual privacy, no further information about this case will be released by the Clay County Health Department.
Current guidance for North Carolina as it applies to a congregate living facility does NOT define this as an “outbreak,” and instead says that to be classified as an “outbreak” there must be two positive cases. Staying true to our proactive and aggressive prevention mission, the Health Department is taking swift action to address this concern alongside the Care Center’s staff.
The CCHD has been working diligently with the administration and nursing staff at the Clay County Care Center for months, and completed a response plan should this type of incident occur. This plan has been activated, and testing will begin for residents and staff members on July 9, 2020. All staff and support team members have the appropriate personal protective equipment that they will need not only for testing, but for the isolation time that will be necessary until tests have come back with negative results. Clay County EMS and the Health Department will continue to provide support to the Care Center and assist in any way possible. The Care Center staff has already began notifying the residents families and staff members. For questions about this response call Scott Alexander – Administrator, at 828-389-9941.
The CCHD regularly updates our county call-in-line 828-389-8052 ext. 110 with information regarding COVID-19 as well, we encourage the public to call or see our Facebook page for up-to-date information. To receive messages from the State, text COVIDNC to 898211.
This confirmed positive case is one of the three that was reported on June 8, it is NOT in addition to that number.
Clay County has had eighteen total residents test positive, and twelve of those have recovered (66%, over half).
During this time please be mindful that the state and nation uptick in cases recently has a lot to do with the additional testing that is being done. This additional testing includes the pre-operatory screening for surgeries to include elective surgeries, which is most of Clay County’s current reasons for testing as a whole. It is also important to approach information with rational thought and information that is factual and appropriate. CCHD knows that prevention methods work; washing hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and hot water, wearing masks, and using social distancing. CCHD knows that more than half of our residents that have had positive tests have recovered, and their professional staffs are competent and capable of handling what comes their way.

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