Jay Curtis

Years ago, the Powell school district created a plan for responding to pandemic flu. That policy was sent out district-wide last week, as public health officials expect the new coronavirus will spread in the U.S.

School leaders are ready to put the plan into place if it turns out to be needed — though some decisions may be out of their hands.

“If we end up having to close school, it will most likely not be us that makes that call — it will most likely be the Wyoming Department of Health,” said Jay Curtis, superintendent of Park County School District No. 1.

Curtis sent a message to staff and parents on Friday with information about Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from the Centers for Disease Control.

“First and foremost, we would like to encourage ALL individuals to practice social distancing when you are sick,” Curtis wrote. “Remember, this is also flu season and these recommendations are always a good idea.”

He encouraged parents to keep their children  home if they’re showing cold and flu-like symptoms.

“... we will be strictly enforcing our existing policy to send students home that have a fever,” Curtis wrote.

Employees also are encouraged to refrain from coming to work if they have cold or flu symptoms.

To help minimize the spread of germs, frequent hand-washing is being encouraged for all students and staff, Curtis said.

“They do that anyway — particularly in the elementary schools,” he said in an interview Friday. “I think with this, there will be a heightened sense.”

Curtis said older students can sometimes be worse than the younger students when it comes to not washing their hands, adding that high schoolers love to share water bottles, eat off each other’s plates or share chapstick.

“We’re not going to panic, but we are going to try and encourage students to do their best to help minimize the spread also,” Curtis said.

Custodians will be using advanced cleaning products regularly on high-touch surfaces in every school.

“Our nurses, along with administration will be vigilant in monitoring the student body and staff as a whole for symptoms,” Curtis said.

Curtis and a school nurse met with a local physician last week to talk about responding to a potential of a COVID-19 outbreak here. If a student comes in with respiratory illness, school nurses will follow certain protocol.

“Our school nurses are highly trained in how to deal with this,” Curtis said.

Under the district’s pandemic flu policy, if 10% of residents were sick, the superintendent would send out a “stay home” letter, specifically telling anyone with symptoms to remain at home.

“We have students who have immune deficiencies, and if this hit, we would encourage them to stay home, just for their safety and protection,” Curtis said.

If more than 30% of residents were sick, Powell schools would close. However, the superintendent said that decision — and at what point to make it — would be driven by state health officials.

So far, this has been a normal flu season in Powell schools, Curtis said, with multiple teachers and students missing school at times.

“We’ve had a lot of people get it,” he said. “Every year we have a lot of people get it.”

He noted it’s the height of flu season — and the symptoms are similar to the new coronavirus.

“We must remember to be vigilant as individuals and as an organization to help minimize the spread should the virus reach our community,” Curtis wrote in his message Friday.