'With COVID, it's just another layer of daily scrutiny we have to pay attention to'

Students emerge from the Maple Street Magnet School at the end of their first day last year. This year expect fewer students wearing masks due to a mask-optional policy. The school opened its doors earlier this month. (Rochester Voice file photo)

ROCHESTER - In three short days the promise of a new school year will become a reality for more than 4,000 Rochester students, with five-day, fully inperson, mask-optional learning.

But this return toward normalcy comes with a caveat: the need for students, parents and guardians to follow the health guidelines set forth in an Aug. 13 letter from Rochester Schools Supt. Kyle Repucci that outlines the COVID precautions unanimously approved by the School Board earlier this month.

And while district schools continue to take extraordinary measures to keep the virus at bay, the most important safeguard against potential outbreaks starts right at home, Repucci said.

Department of Public Health and Safety mask guidance during potential facility outbreaks

"It's vital parents and guardians screen their kids for any symptoms every day," he told The Rochester Voice last week. "If they have any signs of being sick, please keep them home."

And that guidance applies for any illness, not just COVID. Symptoms to watch out for include: fever or chills, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting.

And while masks are optional at school, they are mandatory on buses per federal regulation.

Last school year COVID cases surfaced at several city schools including the William Allen, Maple Street Magnet and Nancy Loud elementary school; Rochester Middle School and Spaulding High.

Repucci said the possibility of a case being identified at city schools this year is again possible, but school officials have instituted countless mitigation strategies to minimize the threat.

Those include physical distancing (now three feet instead of six), frequent hand washing, ventilation improvements, contact tracing and quarantine protocols and free vaccine clinics at age-appropriate schools throughout the academic year.

Some of the quarantine protocols have slightly changed, according to Repucci, who in his letter suggested parents consult the "DHHS School and Children Toolkit" for additional guidance.

The School Board unanimously opted to allow Repucci to determine whether the school protocols and guidance currently in place are doing the job, unless the virus positivity rate rises above 10 percent, which would trigger the board's input on what additional steps might be needed to mitigate any COVID threat.

Repucci said he's ready for the challenge and optimistic for the school year.

"With the start of every school year I get excited for the students and what lies ahead," he said. "With COVID, it's just another layer of day-to-day scrutiny that we have to pay attention to, and we will."

To view his Aug. 13 letter, click here.