No one reports to work or school for one week, March 16-20, 2020

Due to COVID-19, no one reports to work or school for one week, March 16-20, 2020. The School Board meeting has also been canceled.  CPSD Set to Resume On March 16, 2020.

 

March 12, 2020

Dear Canton Public School District Parents and Students,

I am urging everyone to remain calm but take the necessary precautions to stay safe. Currently, all Canton Public Schools will resume instruction on Monday, March 16, 2020. I want to share important information and updates with you related to the Coronavirus also known as COVID-19. The wellness of our students is our highest priority. We are closely monitoring updates on the coronavirus as issued by the Centers for Disease Control and the following recommendations from our State Department of Health and the Mississippi Department of Education. We know that this situation is rapidly evolving. We will be following updates and guidelines as they are issued. 

This coronavirus, COVID-19, is a respiratory illness spreading easily from person to person. The symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Symptoms can appear between 2 and 14 days after exposure. Currently, we have one known case of the illness within our state. This document from the CDC has valuable information on the illness itself.  

HERE'S WHAT WE ARE DOING

We want to ensure you that we are taking precautions at all of our schools. All of our buildings have been thoroughly disinfected. We will also daily disinfect our classrooms and continue our routine cleaning procedures. We will make sure that students are compliant with hand hygiene during the school day. In addition to our illness policy for students, faculty, and staff members are also asked to stay home until they are fever and/or symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to work. We will be following the CDC recommendations for schools and any recommendations issued by our State Department of Health.  As part of the district's ongoing efforts to prepare for unexpected events, we continue to review contingency plans.

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP

We need your help in protecting our community in preventing the spread of infectious illnesses.  Please remember to:
  • Stay home when you are sick. Please do not send students back to school unless they are fever-free for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medications).
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth. 
  • Wash hands often for 20 seconds under clean, running water. This helps prevent the spread of germs.
  • Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
  • Notify the division about your child’s illness.  

PLEASE ADHERE TO TRAVEL ADVISORIES

We recognize that many families may be traveling over Spring Break. Please be advised that the CDC has issued many travel advisories in regards to areas where COVID-19 is experiencing ongoing transmission. If your family or a member of your family will be traveling to these areas, please notify CPSD. Communication with the school regarding this is necessary for the protection of all members of our community. If you or anyone in your family have international travel planned, please follow updates and advisories from the CDC.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Click here for the latest updates from the Centers for Disease Control on coronavirus.

 

Click here for any updates from the Mississippi Department of Health on coronavirus.
 
If you have questions, please contact your child’s school.

 

Gary Hannah 
Superintendent 
Canton Public Schools
 
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New recommendations from the MS Department of Health as of March 12, 2020, concerning COVID-19

Avoid gatherings of 250 people or more, especially if there is evidence of transmission in your county or adjacent counties. If you do attend, remember to practice the hygiene and distancing steps above.

To prevent illness in those most vulnerable, anyone 65 or older OR with a chronic medical condition should avoid any gathering of 250 people or more (corrected from 50 earlier).

Avoid unnecessary (non-urgent) air, bus, or train travel.

Limit visitation to older relatives or friends (especially in nursing or care homes).

Prepare for the possibility that schools or daycare centers may temporarily close.
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Schools, Gatherings and Events

Everyone attending mass gatherings should take extra precautions at this time, including:

Regular hand hygiene with hand sanitizer or soap and water.
If ill, do not attend any public event and call your physician or healthcare provider if needed.
Maintain social distancing as much as practical. A separation of 6 feet from another person is considered effective for infection control.

Schools throughout the state should consider canceling any mass gatherings, including assembly and social events.
The Mississippi State Department of Health is not advising the closing of schools at this time.
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) says the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) requires schools to consult with their county health department and the MSDH to determine when it is appropriate to close a school. State law requires schools to make up any days schools may close, unless the Governor of Mississippi or the U.S. President declares a state of emergency. State law does not give the MDE or the State Board of Education the authority to close schools statewide.

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Event organizers: MSDH recommends that communities and organizations contact us at 877-978-6453 to determine whether cancelation is warranted, or appropriate preventive steps for your event.
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In the Community

Schools, businesses, events and other places that people gather can take steps to prevent or limit the spread of viral illness.

The CDC offers preparation advice for:

Households
Schools and daycares
Healthcare facilities
The workplace, colleges, gatherings and more
Flyer: Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission (CDC) PDF
The Mississippi Department of Education has issued guidelines for Mississippi schools concerning COVID-19.
Department of Education COVID-19 Guidelines MDE

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Stay updated on the new guidelines and preventative measures concerning COVID-19 from the Mississippi State Department of Health.

Click on the link below:
https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/23,21823,422.html 

 

CHS PROM 2020 CANCELED

March 13, 2020

Superintendent Gary Hannah says based on recommendations from the Mississippi State Department of Health and Mississippi Department of Education officials, the Canton Public School District has decided to cancel Canton High School's Prom scheduled for April 25, 2020.

Recent Recommendations for Schools, Gatherings, and Events:

Everyone attending mass gatherings should take extra precautions at this time.
Maintain social distancing as much as practical. A separation of 6 feet from another person is considered effective for infection control.
Schools throughout the state should consider canceling any mass gatherings, including assembly and social events.
However, the Mississippi State Department of Health is not advising the closing of schools at this time.

Dual Enrollment Fundraiser Canceled

The Canton Educational Foundation’s annual fundraiser scheduled for March 19th to support the CHS dual enrollment program has been canceled. It will be rescheduled at a later date.