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Cape Public Schools’ COVID-19 Key Terms

Dear Tiger Families,


We hope you had a great weekend and are as excited as we are to have students back in session on August 24th!  We realize how important it is that we share information on how we’ll handle COVID-19 cases, as well as other general information related to the pandemic before school starts.  This week, we will be sending an email each day to help give you a better understanding of how the District is working to keep kids and faculty safe.


Today, our focus is on key terms you could be hearing us refer to as we inform you of a potential case or promote general information about how COVID-19 is impacting our community.  Please take a moment to read through the key terms below.


Key Cape Girardeau Public Schools COVID-19 Terms
District Contact Tracer (DCT): A Cape Girardeau Public Schools employee who is responsible for working with the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center to help communicate with the public about COVID-19 cases relevant to the school district. 
Close contact: Someone who has been with a person who tested positive without a mask and within six feet of that (positive) person for longer than 15 minutes.
Contact to a contact:  Someone who has been in contact with a person who has been in close contact of a positive case.  
Positive case:  Someone who has tested positive, with or without symptoms. 
Asymptomatic: Someone who is sick but does not show symptoms and will not develop them later.
Presymptomatic: Someone who has COVID-19 but does not have any symptoms yet.
Symptomatic: Someone who is sick and showing symptoms.
Presumptive positive case: A person who has tested positive for COVID-19 by a local public health lab but whose results are awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Screening: The act of checking people for symptoms.
Self-isolation: Staying away from other people because you are sick.
Self-quarantine: Staying away from other people because you have been exposed to a sick person.
Social distancing: The act of putting physical space between people to decrease the spread of illness.  In the case of COVID-19, it is recommended to keep six feet of space between yourself and others.
Face covering: A mask or cloth that covers the mouth and nose used to help protect other people from your germs.


Tomorrow, we will be sharing our COVID-19 Communications Process so you will have a better understanding of how we will communicate with you if a COVID-19 case could impact our school community.  Thank you for your continued patience and support. 
-CGPS

OVC Postpones Fall Sport Competitions and Championships

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The Ohio Valley Conference Board of Presidents announced that fall competition and championships in the sports of football, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball will be postponed due to the concerns and uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
The decision also includes the fall competitive schedules for men’s and women’s golf and men’s and women’s tennis as well as the non-traditional competition seasons for baseball and softball.
 
OVC football-playing institutions that are able to demonstrate a team’s willingness and readiness to compete based on the NCAA’s Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition and the NCAA’s mental health guidance are approved to play up to four non-conference scheduled games.  
 
In making its determination, the Board asked the conference membership to develop plans for conference competition and championships in the spring semester for the impacted sports. 
 
“After careful deliberation, weighing all the factors as presented, and given the current uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the OVC Board of Presidents voted to postpone the Conference’s fall sports to the spring, said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner.  With the focus on student-athletes, the Conference leaders made this value-based decision with a commitment to continue to monitor the evolving situation and to strive to establish meaningful competitive opportunities in the spring for our fall sport student-athletes. 
 
“While we understand there are many student-athletes, families, and communities that are disappointed by the lack of Conference competition this fall, and we deeply share that disappointment; it is the OVC’s ardent intention to ensure seasons postponed are not seasons canceled if the facts support it.  I want to thank our student-athletes and coaches for their resilience during these trying times, our staff and administrators for all their hard work and planning over the past five months, and the presidents and chancellors for their strong and principled leadership over this outstanding Conference.”
 
Athletically-related activities for enrolled student-athletes will be evaluated consistent with NCAA legislation and guidance, as well as state, local and institutional parameters and communicated to OVC institutions and its student-athletes accordingly.
 
The plans to play scheduled winter and spring sports remains unaffected at this time. 

Family Updated from Cape Public Schools

Dear Tiger Families,

We cannot believe we are less than two weeks away from the first day of school, which is August 24th!  We hope you will read the updates below to make sure you have all the latest information before the first bell rings.


We are rolling out Kid Account at Alma Schrader, Blanchard and Jefferson elementary schools this fall for dismissal each day. Kid Account will help us reduce the number of people coming in and out of the building, which is extremely important during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pick up will be changed at those three locations. Parents will not be able to walk up to the doors to get their child. Look for more information on how Kid Account will work in those three buildings from your principal soon. Kid Account is already being used at Clippard and Franklin and has been a great help in keeping our kids and families safe. 

A reminder, breakfast and lunch will be free again this school year. That’s right, all kids eat for free at Cape Girardeau Public Schools! More information available here.

If you would like to donate to help purchase school supplies for students in need, you have two easy options.  Follow one of the links below to make a tax deductible donation.


Cape Girardeau Public Schools Foundation
Stuff the Bus Donation Link (Donate until August 31, 2020)


Did you see the story about the new program at Central Academy on KFVS-12?  If not, click to check it out!  Great job Central Academy!  

Thank you for your continued support!  Have a great rest of your day!
-CGPS

Updated Cape Public Schools Fall Re-Entry Plan

August 4, 2020

Dear Tiger Families,

Whether your child will be learning at home or in the classroom, we are excited to launch another new school year on August 24th.  We realize these last several months have been challenging but with a positive attitude and by working together we can continue to make sure our students are receiving the high quality education they deserve.  

We wanted to let you know that the CGPS Re-Entry Plan – Version 2 and an updated list of Frequently Asked Questions are available for your review. Both of these documents are also available on our website, capetigers.com.  You should also receive information from your child’s principal by the end of the week regarding the building re-entry plan. Please note, the Cape Career & Technology Center’s Re-Entry Plan will be posted on the CTC website. If you have questions related to the upcoming school year, reach out to the building principal.

Please keep in mind again that these plans are fluid.  Any changes will be communicated to families and will always be available on the website.  We appreciate your willingness to be flexible as we work through this together.  

Remember, the Missouri Tax Free Weekend kicks off this Friday, August 7th and runs through Sunday, August 9th.  If you are doing back-to-school shopping, this would be a great weekend to take advantage of certain items that will be tax exempt.

Thank you for your continued support through these challenging times. Have a great rest of your week! -CGPS 

Cape Girardeau Public School Re-Entry Plan (Fall 2020)

Please note that the district anticipates changes to this plan. This is a fluid environment and thus the solution must be fluid, as well. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time.

Download the current Re-Entry Plan as a PDF here

July 9, 2020

Dear Tiger Families,

We appreciate your patience as we have been working to create a safe plan to welcome students back for the upcoming school year. Since the onset of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, CGPS leaders have consulted with local health officials to make decisions that prioritize the health and safety of our entire school community. We realize that it’s important for us to take certain precautions as we reopen, so we can stay open as long as possible.  

The CGPS Re-entry Plan Fall 2020 was developed based on health and safety recommendations from the CDC and the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, along with feedback from families and staff members. Families will be given the option of in-person instruction or online learning for the 2020-2021 school year. Those wishing to enroll their child in all online learning may do so by filling out this online application by July 31, 2020. In-person learning will include a number of online elements to help ease the transition to all virtual learning should the District be required to close in the future due to COVID-19 or any other emergency.

View the entire CGPS Re-entry Plan Fall 2020, which outlines the following topics, among others, in greater detail:

  • Early Childhood Programs
  • Elementary and Middle School Academic Plan
  • Secondary Academic Plan
  • Special Education and Section 504
  • English Learners
  • Screenings and Triage 
  • General Cleaning Procedures
  • Student Transportation

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions to help answer initial questions you may have. Look for more information from individual buildings as we get closer to the first day of school, which is set for Monday, August 24, 2020. 

While we don’t know what the new school year holds, we realize the importance of being flexible. We will continue to make decisions that are in the best interest of our students, staff and entire school community based on the information we have at the time.  Thank you for entrusting us to educate your children. 

Poplar Bluff Seniors Honored

The Class of 2020 was scheduled to have their graduation ceremony tonight at 7:00pm. To honor these students and their accomplishments, the stadium lights at Mules Stadium and Strenfel Field will be turned on at 7:00pm and stay on until 7:20pm in recognition of the Class of 2020. This is not a Commencement and Graduation is still scheduled for the alternative dates given.  If you choose to be on the High School campus at this time, please respect social distancing guidelines.

CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS!

Michael Owen
High School Principal

MEDIA PARTNERS HELP CHS SALUTE CLASS OF 2020

Cape Girardeau Public Schools (CGPS) will have the opportunity to send off seniors in a unique way thanks to the support of members of the local media.  KFVS-12, the Heartland’s CW (WQWQ), FOX23 and RiverRadio are hosting graduation specials over the next several days.

Sunday, May 17, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. KFVS-12 and WQWQ will simulcast a graduation special to celebrate the Class of 2020.  The television special will feature messages recorded by Cape Central High seniors and speeches from students and staff, including the valedictorian and salutatorian.

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 RiverRadio will air a salute to seniors with class officers reading the names of graduates at 8:15 a.m. on KZIM and 8:30 on K103.

Thursday, May 21, 2020 at a time to be determined, FOX23 will air a graduation special honoring CHS seniors showcasing speeches from students and staff, plus video introductions of each student in the Class of 2020.

“We are very fortunate to have such supportive media partners here in Cape who are going above and beyond to make our students feel special,” said CHS Principal Nancy Scheller.  “It’s been a difficult year for these seniors, so it’s important we find ways of celebrating their accomplishments as a community.  I’m so proud of them and am excited for all of Cape to celebrate their success.”

The District is still planning to hold a graduation ceremony once social distancing guidelines are relaxed statewide.  A tentative commencement date is set for June 13, 2020 at Tiger Stadium with the first makeup date set for July 18, 2020.

PHS plans private graduation ceremony

Administrators are preparing to provide an in-person graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, one that will look very different from recent Perryville High School commencements.

“Our first priority is, of course, the safety of our students and community,” said Principal Jeff Steffens. “Our next priority is to provide our graduating seniors and their parents with a memorable ceremony to recognize our students’ achievement.”

PHS Commencement will be held at the Pirate Football Stadium on Friday, May 22 beginning at 8 pm. The event is NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, but will be livestreamed on Facebook, and recorded and shared on the District 32 Website.

This year’s 164 graduating seniors and immediate family members who live with them — parents and stepparents — will be allowed to attend, up to a total of 6 people per family including the graduate. The football field will be painted with 12×12 foot areas for each graduate plus parents, with 6-foot aisles between boxes. Faculty members will escort each graduate and their parents from their vehicle to their assigned spot on the field; all persons must remain in their area until escorted back to vehicles.

“Each graduate will have their name called to come to the stage area to receive their diploma,” Steffens said. “We’ll be forgoing traditional handshakes and photo poses on the stage. Our top graduates will still deliver speeches, as will the class president and the commencement speaker. “We received approval from the city and county to hold this modified ceremony, with the understanding that any changes in our community status of COVID-19 cases, or future orders from the state or local health departments, may necessitate the move to a virtual ceremony.

“We are placing a great deal of trust in our students, their families and our community to observe all of the social-distancing rules and the processes we’ve put in place for graduation. If uninvited people crowd into the stadium, we will be required to shut down the commencement. Please plan to watch the livestream or view the video when it’s posted on our website. We don’t want to ruin this once-in-a-lifetime event for our seniors and their parents.”

In case of rain, the event will be held at 8 pm Saturday, May 23. Students will receive additional information via school email.

CGPS AND WQWQ LAUNCH EDUCATIONAL TV SHOW

Cape Girardeau Public Schools (CGPS) and The Heartland’s CW, (WQWQ-TV) are teaming up to provide educational programming to elementary students in the Cape Girardeau area.  Won’t You Be My Tiger? will launch Friday, May 1, and is scheduled to run weekday mornings from 10:00 to 11:00 through the month of May. Won’t You Be My Tiger? will feature entertaining and educational activities and is hosted by Cape Girardeau Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Neil Glass. The Heartland’s CW is available for free over the air on channel 12.2. It is also available on Spectrum channel 713, and channel 9 on DirecTV and Dish.

“We are extremely thankful to KFVS12 for the opportunity to connect with our students and families on their sister station, WQWQ-TV, during the precautionary coronavirus closure,” said Glass.  “Our hope is that families feel comfortable leaving their kids in front of the TV for an hour, knowing that our content will be educational and fun.”

CGPS closed its doors March 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Since then, teachers within the District have been providing educational enrichment activities through a variety of channels including email, social media and phone calls.  But, according to Glass, families are asking for more.

“Parents have been forced to juggle a number of duties, including stepping in to promote continued learning within their homes,” said Chris Conroy, Vice President and General Manager of KFVS/WQWQ.  “As a television station, we are always looking for ways to support the community we serve.  Providing families a little relief during this uncertain time is something we are very proud to do.”

KFVS-TV is the CBS Network affiliate serving the Cape Girardeau, Paducah, Harrisburg television market since 1954, and is a free broadcast service of Gray Television, Inc. KFVS12 also operates WQWQ-TV, a CW affiliate, The Circle, a country music lifestyle channel, MeTV Heartland, Grit Network, KFVS12.com, Heartland Weekend.com, and numerous digital platforms.

Governor Parson Announces Schools Closed for the Year

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced in the Thursday, April 9 press briefing that Missouri schools shall remain closed through this school year. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), along with several school superintendents from across the state made the recommendation to Governor Parson on April 9. Learn more about this announcement here in the remarks Commissioner Vandeven shared:

COVID-19 has presented unprecedented challenges for all of us and the education community is certainly no different. The recommendation made to Governor Parson today was not made lightly. This decision was made to continue protecting the health and safety of our students and school staff members. We know, maybe now more than ever, just how important our public schools are….how critical the services are that they provide their local communities….and how important the work is that our educators do
each and every day for our children.

To reiterate what the Governor shared, school buildings will remain closed for the rest of the school year…but school services should continue through the last day of school in each school district, as pre-established by the school calendar approved by their local board of education. Those continued services include providing much-needed meals to the students who count on them…as well as alternative educational opportunities. We know remote teaching and learning looks different in every district across our state – so we are simply asking our school leaders to continue to be creative, innovative and persistent in their pursuit to reach students with some kind of academic opportunity. We see some schools mailing or delivering packets to students who may not have access to technology or the internet.

While other teachers and students are learning to navigate video conferencing software to deliver and receive instruction. We cannot applaud these educators enough, as well as our families at home, for stepping up to the plate to make learning a possibility amid this new normal.

This announcement brings with it a NUMBER of additional questions. What should districts do about summer school? What will the re-entry to school look like? How will this impact graduating seniors? What can be done to address broadband internet access issues in many areas of our state? Please know that our department is working quickly to address these and many other questions in conjunction with the Governor’s office, continuing our efforts to help local school leaders navigate this process…removing barriers, simplifying any processes that we can and waiving the necessary state statutes and regulations.

I’ve said this many times over the last several weeks – I’ve never been more proud to be a Missouri educator. My colleagues at our department and in the 555 districts and charter schools across our state are working tirelessly to serve the students we love so much – and we’ll keep at it for the weeks to come.

Thank you.

For all COVID 19 information from the DESE, visit dese.mo.gov/COVID19

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