Putnam County Schools (PCS) has released its comprehensive guidance for students’ return to school on August 24, 2021, within their Roadmap to Recovery return to school guide which can be found HERE.
The PCS Roadmap to Recovery was developed utilizing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local health officials, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) School Recovery and Guidance. Face masks will be strongly recommended but not required for Putnam County students. Currently, the best public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic is vaccination. In cases that require quarantining, students who have been vaccinated do not have to quarantine. Additionally, in classrooms or close contact settings, the close contact definition excludes students who wear a mask.
The guiding principles in the Roadmap to Recovery outline various mitigation strategies that will be in place as students return. Superintendent John Hudson believes that all students learn best from in-person instruction and can do so safely when various mitigation strategies are implemented. He continues to be very grateful for the collaboration and unity in the outstanding school communities in Putnam County. Currently, PCS is working with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources regarding screening and testing options that may be available for students. PCS will continue to work collaboratively with the Putnam County Health Department (PCHD) to conduct contact tracing and to monitor community spread.
To view the full PCS Roadmap to Recovery guidance document, please visit www.putnamschools.com.