Due to some of our students being probable close contacts for COVID-19 and the district still doing contact tracing, we have postponed tonight's games at Norfork.
As result of contact tracing we are quarantining more students as probable close contacts to a positive case. For COVID-19, a close contact is anyone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. An infected person can spread COVID-19 starting 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person had any symptoms or tested positive for COVID-19.
This is a good time to remind everyone of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and the importance of staying home until you have been fever free (without the use of medication) and symptom free for at least 24 hours. The symptoms can range from simple allergies to a fever and chills and/or body aches, a sore throat or cough. Any one or combination of these symptoms can be COVID related. While you may have only mild symptoms, others may develop very serious illnesses.
Be smart, do your part. Our odds are better when we practice the three w's. Wash your hands, wear your masks and watch your distance.
May you all have a very safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Meal deliveries for virtual students will be from 10:00-12:00 today. Please contact the Elementary @ 870-297-8533 or High School @ 870-297-3745 if you have any questions or concerns. Please let the school know by Wednesday each week if you have any changes that need to be made for Thursday's delivery.
At tonight's school board meeting, Mr. Skidmore recommended, and the board approved, that November 23rd and 24th, 2020 to be virtual days for our school district. Teachers will be on campus and available to students during those days. High school students will do their work and make-up work from home on their device. Elementary students will have assignments made by their teachers as well. January 29, 2021 will also be a virtual day so mark that day on your calendar also.
School meals are available to be delivered to students. Please contact the office by 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov 20th to let us know if you want meals delivered on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
- Elementary office 870-297-8533
- High School office 870-297-3745
This recommendation was made so that we can extend the time we are apart, lessening possible exposure to the virus. Therefore, be smart and do your part. Wear your mask, wash your hands and watch your distance and have a safe and healthy holiday.
The games for Nov 26th are postponed for later dates.
The "B" games scheduled for Thursday night will be rescheduled for a later date.
The Junior Boys "A" game will be played on Dec 8th on a Senior game night already scheduled.
The Junior Girls "A" game will be played on Jan 26th on a Senior game night already scheduled.
COVID-19 Media Release
We regret to inform you that we currently have 2 people in our buildings who have tested positive for COVID-19. Today we identified 22 students and 2 personnel as close contacts. Up to this point all of the contacts have been with positive cases outside the district. Thanks to the diligent "contact tracing" of Mrs. LaDonna Franks, the principals and teachers, we were able to identify the students who were in contact with the people who tested positive and they are all quarantined.
We have been in contact with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Health weekly and sometimes daily regarding our district and community status. Their recommendations are consistent across the state, continue with face to face instruction if at all possible and base decisions on district data. My conversation with DESE this evening gleaned the same recommendation.
It is unfortunate, however, we all knew this would happen sooner or later. I know I've said it in the past but thank you again for understanding and being patient. This school year is going to be a trying time for everyone. On the other hand, I know this community will do everything possible to work together in preventing the spread of this virus. If we err, I hope it will be on the side of caution.
Remember to social distance, wear your face mask and wash or sanitize your hands frequently.
Thank you,
There are some extra tickets available at the high school office for the ballgames tonight.
The games will be starting at 6:00 tonight and it will be the Jr. Boys and Sr. Boys vs Sloan Hendrix.
The high school and elementary will have Make-Up Picture Day on Monday, November 16. This will be for class pictures and any senior who has not had their picture made.
Please dress accordingly.
As part of a coordinated response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in partnership with the Office for Education Policy (OEP) at the University of Arkansas has developed this Parent/Guardian Survey<https://uark.qualtrics.
Parent Survey purpose:
The survey seeks to involve families in an organized, ongoing and timely way in planning, review, and improvement.
The survey will provide feedback regarding:
* family concerns
* how families are making decisions
* family awareness of options and resources available
* family considerations for the future
The intention of this survey is not to identify individual district responses, but rather to establish an understanding of the state as a whole. The information will be aggregated by region only; therefore, families will be asked to identify the region of the state in which they live in order to understand the distribution of the survey without specifically identifying any district by name.
Thank you for taking the time to respond to the survey.
KIAP Classes will be cancelled until after the Thanksgiving Holiday. We will reschedule KIAP at a later date.
The Calico Rock FFA is hosting its annual Harvest Supper at the Calico Rock Elementary parking lot on Friday November 20th. FFA members will be selling meal tickets for $10 each. The meal will include turkey, dressing, mash potatoes, gravy, green beans, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
Due to COVID-19, there will be drive thru pick up only. Pick up will last from 4:30 to 7:00. Tickets can be purchased from an FFA member, come, the High School Office or upon arrival at the Elementary.
The Calico Rock School District would like to say to all veterans of all branches: Thank you for your sacrifice, your bravery, and the example you set for us all. Thank you for your service!
This following video was created to honor your service:
You can what this weeks post here:
Our Calico Rock School District Angel Tree is currently up in the high school lobby! Please stop by and get a child to sponsor from the tree for Christmas. They will also be available to be picked up at any home basketball game. The gifts will need to be returned by November 30th. If you are unable to sponsor a child, but would like to donate monetarily to support the program, we can accept that also. We appreciate the love and blessings given by our community to our students each year through this program!
Dear Pirates,
We regret to inform you that a Cotter student who played in last night's game tested positive for Covid-19 late this afternoon. As a result we are quarantining our Sr. Girls basketball team for 14 days or until we can determine who was in close contact with that student. Today November 6, 2020 is day one of the quarantine period.
We hope that everyone will be very diligent in practicing social distancing, wearing face masks and washing their hands. Our hopes and prayers are that this virus will have a minimal impact on our community.
On a more positive note, we have no known positive cases in our buildings at this time. This quarantine is a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus in our school and community. Please stay safe.
Sincerely,
Jerry Skidmore, Superintendent
You can watch this weeks post here:
The Calico Rock Gifted and Talented program will host its fifth annual Veterans Day Honor Ceremony on Nov. 11, but this year's event will be different due to COVID-19 guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year, a video will be presented on the Calico Rock School District's YouTube page and feature a slideshow of all veterans wishing to participate.
Service men and women, past and present, are invited to bring a photo to the campus or email it with the name and branch of service. Pictures can be sent with students, dropped off at the elementary and high school offices or emailed to kpool@calico.k12.ar.us.
The district is asking those participating not to send original pictures, if possible. A picture of a picture or a scanned picture is recommended. For those bringing in a picture, it will be scanned and returned immediately. Pictures will need to be turned in by Wednesday.
Alex Browning- 11th grade
We have tickets available for the games tonight with ICC. Please stop by the highschool office and we will give you the tickets you need.
The tickets you get save you a seat at the game. Admission will be charged at the door.