Dear OA Family,
In order to help prevent the broader spread of Coronavirus 2019 (COVID19) and along with many school districts in Galveston County, Odyssey Academy will be closed next week, March 16-20. All school activities and events are also cancelled.
With the global outbreak and confirmed cases of (COVID19) in the Greater Houston area, your OA team wanted to reach out to share important information for our families, staff, and school communities.
First, if you have been exposed to COVID19 or if your travels have taken you to an area of the world where the Center for Disease Control has issued advisories, please email our school nurse, (Celia) Vanessa Torres, at ctorres@odyssey-academy.com and your school principal, Aimee Felchak at afelchak@odyssey-academy.com or Dr. Holly Bailey at hbailey@odyssey-academy.com to self-report as well as confirm that you will self-quarantine and stay home for 14 days. Health authorities at the U.S. airport will provide guidance and information.
For families who have not traveled to a high-risk global country but still traveled away from home, please be mindful that this is an ever-changing situation, and we urge you to follow the Center for Disease Control’s guidance for virus prevention. The prevention measures are as follows:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too.
Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. You will help prevent others from catching your illness.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick.
Cleaning your hands by washing them often or using hand sanitizer will help protect you from germs.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs often spread when a person touches something contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
Practice other good health habits. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.
Contact your family doctor if you have coronavirus-like symptoms or if you have any questions.
Although we will now join our neighboring districts in closing next week, OA is prepared to go back to school the week of March 23, 2020 with the following plan:
Our schools have been deep cleaned over the break.
We are planning to have staff and students who may have been exposed to the virus stay home for at least 14 days.
We will cancel all non-essential activities including travel, field trips, community events, family nights, student after school activities, etc.
We will not have students congregate in large groups by having breakfast/lunch in classrooms rather than all coming together in the cafeteria, not having assemblies with multiple grade levels, etc.
We are working on a plan to support students via technology if our school closure continues past next week and will reach out to parents to assess internet and computer access.
Please know we are actively meeting and communicating with our local and state health authorities. We know there is a great deal of uncertainty at this time, but I want you to know the most important thing: We will always make decisions based on our core values of safety, integrity, encouragement, respect, and responsibility. Your children and their safety are our priority!
Although we will have this next week away from school, please stay connected with us for updates.
Thank you,
Dr. Jennifer Goodman
OA Superintendent