Update # 1

Update # 1

Read print-friendly copy of the letter here.

Dear Community of St. Rose High School:
The health and safety of all of our students continues to be our first priority in the wake of the evolving situation around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the New Jersey area, specifically in Ocean and Monmouth Counties. We encourage everyone in our school communities to listen to facts and not respond to fear.

IMPORTANT PRECAUTIONS
● It is critical that all parents, students, and faculty continue to practice general viral infection prevention
measures including:
○ Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or sleeve
○ Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the
restroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
○ Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
○ Avoid close contact with people who are sick
○ Get your flu shot—it’s never too late
○ Stay home if you’re feeling sick, including fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Call your doctor
and let him/her know your symptoms and travel history.
○ There is a 24-Hour Public Hotline with trained healthcare professionals standing by to answer
your questions (800) 222-1222

ACTIONS WE’VE TAKEN
● Increasing deep cleanings to two times per week, disinfecting surface areas with Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) approved cleaning disinfectants
● All teachers have been given labeled spray bottles containing an approved cleaning disinfectant. All
teachers are required to disinfect all classroom desk surfaces and any surfaces used regularly during
instruction. Teachers will also disinfect all classroom doorknobs and the entire process will happen at
the end of the school day.
● Ensuring that we have adequate hygiene and cleaning materials so that bathrooms are continuously
stocked with soap and paper towels
● Ensure that students have the necessary time to wash their hands before their lunch period

St. Rose High School has a full-time health services office and our nurses, Mrs. JoAnn Lane and Mrs. Marie Fastiggi are working in close partnership with the County Health Department. We will continue to update our
protocols as the situation evolves, and provide any necessary information to parents and our school community. We will continually update you via our website at www.srhsnj.com/health and on our St. Rose mobile app.

There are no plans to close our school at this time. This is an extreme measure that can be disruptive to day-to-day life, and the decision to implement will only be taken at the direction of public health experts. However, we want to reassure you, that if it becomes necessary to close the school, we will implement our
“Continuous Learning Plan.” St. Rose High School’s faculty and students are equipped with the necessary hardware and software that allow for online teaching and learning. We will leverage a mix of Google Classroom, videos, online discussions, podcasts, online texts/resources, and Google Meetings so that teachers can continue instruction. If closing the school becomes necessary, we will then share our full plan for online learning and the expectations of our faculty and students. 

If you wish to learn more, go to www.nj.gov/health/coronavirus and review this fact sheet. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf.  As of now, we will not be changing any of our schedules or policies. We have been communicating with local, county, and state-level officials regarding the best strategies to combat the spread of the coronavirus. The health and safety of our students continues to be our chief priority, and we will follow all guidelines and take the appropriate measures. We will continue to inform everyone of any changes or updates.

I look forward to working together in order to support an informed and healthy learning environment for our children and community. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any additional questions.

Very truly yours,

John Tonero
Principal