GRAND VALLEY PUBLIC NOTICE

GRAND VALLEY,

All, after review with the Health Department and other State Agencies, here is where we are today.  This can change and we will update everyone the best we can when changes are made. Expect change as this will evolve due to outbreaks, more legislation and other factors beyond our control. I am sending this out now so the community has a basic idea of what school would start like if we started today. 

Key Information:

  1. The Ohio Department of Health has an order to wear masks on all public transportation. That covers school buses. So currently, we are mandated to wear masks when riding the school buses. 
  2. Health Departments now can only make recommendations due to recent legislation. However, they do have the power to isolate and quarantine anyone for infectious/contagious disease. They will isolate anyone who has Covid and will quarantine anyone who is "contact traced" and considered exposed. However, if someone is vaccinated, they will not have to quarantine. 
  3. Data shows that today 42% of Ashtabula County residents are vaccinated. 
  4. HB 244 comes into law on October 13, 2021. It restricts any public school to discriminate against any service or program from someone who is unvaccinated. So, if we say masks, then all wear masks. If we say mask optional, it is optional for all. We can't exclude the unvaccinated for anything including extracurricular activities. If vaccinated students and unvaccinated students are on the same team, the team gets exposed to Covid, then all will be quarantined that are not vaccinated. Vaccinated student athletes will not be quarantined. That is a health regulation and does not count as discriminatory. 
  5. We are supposed to get better updates and guidance from all the state agencies, so THIS WILL BE AN ORGANIC AND CHANGING GROUP OF POLICIES AND GUIDELINES!  Expect change and be ready to roll with the changes.  This will be the practice through the year when it comes to health and safety guidelines/mandates. 

So here is what Grand Valley will start off with:

  • All students who ride our transportation, must wear a mask. This includes any field trips or any transportation to after school events.
  • Masks are optional for all staff.
  • Masks during school are optional for all students.
  • Our main goal is to try to maintain three feet of distance for all of our staff and students.  This will be done wherever possible and as much as possible. 
  • Coaching staff and extracurricular activity staff will be informed that unvaccinated athletes/participants have the risk to be quarantined for 14 days while others will not be quarantined that choose to be vaccinated. This would have an impact on your roster during times of exposure. 
  • We plan to hold a vaccine clinic during specific times for everyone to include students, staff and community members. 

Have a great week and if there is an update, we will repost. Please look to our website and social media for any or all updates! BN

Dr. William R. Nye Jr.
Superintendent, Grand Valley Local Schools
111 Grand Valley Ave. West Suite A
Orwell Ohio, 44076
william.nye@grandvalley.school 
Phone: (440) 805-4545 Ext. 4, Option 1 
Fax: (440) 437-1025
"Every Student Matters. Every Moment Counts. The Future Begins Now."