Health Services News
January NAPS Nursing Newsletter
In our January newsletter you will find some valuable information about the COVID-19 vaccine and tools for addressing your child’s mental health needs during these challenging times. |
December NAPS Nursing Newsletter
Learn about flu shot requirements, updated quarantine guidance, and more. Thank you for all you have already been doing to keep our community safe and healthy! |
November NAPS Nursing Newsletter
We hope this newsletter continues to be a positive resource for you during the holiday season. Thank you for all you have already been doing to keep our community safe and healthy! |
News from the NAPS Nursing Dept.
Hello North Andover families! We hope this newsletter can be a positive resource for you. Thank you for all you have already been doing to keep our community safe and healthy! |
NAPS Positive COVID-19 Case Process
Health Services Update 10/1/20 Our student body and staff have been closely adhering to our COVID-19 safety protocols including mask wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing. We are particularly grateful to our staff and student families for their continued efforts to stay home at the first sign of symptoms. These measures, taken in combination, greatly reduce the risk of additional transmission. When someone tests positive for COVID-19, the results are sent to the health department in their town. The local health department is responsible for reaching out to provide support to individuals who have tested positive so they can safely remain in medical isolation for a minimum of 10 days. Sometimes there is a slight delay for the test results to reach the health department. To ensure timely notification to the schools, staff and families are asked to notify their school nurse, principal, or the Director of Health Services, Cheryl Barczak barczakc@nak12.com, of any positive results. They will coordinate with the health department to begin contact tracing.
Additional protocols for responding to COVID-19 scenarios in school, on the bus or in community settings can be found here: COVID-19 scenarios in school Thank you for continuing to support our mitigation efforts. Your vigilance and active participation are key to keeping our schools open and our community safe. |
Town Flu Vaccine Clinics on 9/30 & 10/16
Vaccine for ages 19+ including high dose for 65 and older. Where: North Andover Senior Center When: Wednesday, September 30th from 12pm-4pm & Friday, October 16th from 10am-2pm By appointment only. See flyer on the Town's website for complete info and sign-up link. |
Coronavirus Update #3 - March 12th
Dear North Andover Community, I am writing to provide an update on continuing efforts in North Andover Public Schools regarding the Coronavirus. At this time, there are no positive or presumptive positive cases of COVID-19 in North Andover. Our district leadership team and the Town’s Joint Task Force are collaborating to assess new information and adjust plans as necessary during this evolving situation. The Joint Task Force is also working continuously on preparedness and responsiveness. We are closely following the latest guidance of our local and state Department of Public Health (DPH), as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All information and updates are posted on the NAPS website. North Andover Public Schools will remain open based on CDC and DPH guidance. Should the district need to close, we will utilize Beyond The Classroom. If we close for an extended period of time, we will be following the guidance of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in developing a plan. Health, hygiene habits, and cleaning are particularly important to us. Students have been educated about handwashing and are encouraged to wash their hands throughout the day. Our custodians are implementing daily cleaning plans, along with enhanced cleaning and disinfection of high-contact surfaces (desks, doorknobs, light switches, chrome books, etc.). The district will also use heavy-duty electrostatic disinfection application spray guns to further sanitize facilities as needed. Additionally, school cafeterias have taken additional precautionary steps, as directed by the Board of Health. Also, our school transportation company has cleaned all buses and will continue to clean and sanitize regularly.
Regarding school-sponsored trips and travel, NAPS faculty and students do not have any international trips scheduled this spring. Travel outside of Massachusetts has been discontinued at this time, and school- sponsored activities are continually being assessed based on DPH, DESE, North Andover Public Health and CDC guidance. To this point, the recommendation from the North Andover Board of Health is to postpone Mr. North Andover, which is an extremely large community event of 890 attendees. Any information on rescheduling the event will be sent by Mr. Jackson at a future date. Should there be a change or cancellation of any future events, guardians/parents and staff will be notified. The safety of our students, staff, and families is North Andover Public School’s top priority. Our Town and District are wholeheartedly dedicated to the continuous and ongoing evaluation and communication of new information as it becomes available.
Dr. Gregg T. Gilligan, Superintendent
The Town of North Andover formed a joint task force, which includes: the School Superintendent, the Town Manager, the Board of Health Director, the Public Health Nurse, both Directors of Information Technology, the Assistant Superintendents, the School’s Director of Health Services, the Deputy Town Manager, Town Counsel, the Director of Administrative Services and the Director of Planning and Community Development. |
Coronavirus Update 2
The school department is working closely and meeting regularly with the Town of North Andover Health Department to ensure we have the most up to date information, guidance, and recommendations from the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health. This afternoon I participated in a conference call for all Massachusetts Superintendents where representatives from both the Department of Education and the Department of Public Health provided guidance on the Coronavirus and answered questions. In addition, DESE has advised that they will be sharing more information about student and staff absences and school year requirements in the coming days. I will share the DESE information with you in our next update. Although the risk of Coronavirus remains low for Massachusetts residents, I did want to provide you with an update on some of the proactive measures and supports that we have put in place here at NAPS. Most importantly, please be assured that we are following ALL recommendations and guidance from the CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the North Andover Department of Health.
Cleaning
I am sharing the recent Town of North Andover Coronavirus update which includes current facts and recommendations regarding the Coronavirus.
We will continue to monitor this situation closely and we are committed to the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and families. If you have additional questions, you may call the North Andover Health Department at 978-688-9540. |
Information re: Coronavirus
As news about COVID-19 (coronavirus) develops, North Andover is following the situation closely. The North Andover Health Department, Director of Nursing and public safety officials are meeting regularly to discuss any updates to our existing school protocols, to track documented cases of the flu (and other viruses should they arise), and monitor school attendance. As you may recall from several years ago, we have managed the H1N1 and norovirus in a similar situation, and the protocols are ready at hand. Please know we are following recommendations from both the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Based on current information, health officials are recommending local communities and schools take the same precautions to protect against coronavirus as we do to prevent the spread of everyday illnesses like the common cold or the flu. These recommendations are as follows:
We will continue to monitor new developments as they relate to COVID-19 and will update the community accordingly. Please be assured that the physical and emotional health and well-being of all members of the North Andover community are our highest priority during this evolving situation. School nurses and counselors are available for students if needed. Dr. Gregg T. Gilligan Superintendent of Schools |
Flu Updates - Jan 27th, 2020
Now that Massachusetts has increased the Flu severity from Moderate to High this week, here are some helpful tips to keep you Healthy and what to watch out for. As always, please keep your child HOME if they have a Fever of 100 degrees or higher. Children must remain home until they are fever FREE for at least 24 hours WITHOUT the use of medicine. Keeping children healthy while in school is our goal. Preventing the Flu:
Flu Symptoms: Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly. People who are sick with flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:
*It’s important to note that not everyone with flu will have a fever. Flu Facts
Flu activity remains elevated. It’s not too late to get vaccinated. Flu vaccination is always the best way to prevent flu and its potentially serious complications. |