Koyuk Malimiut School

As there are 19 active cases of the coronavirus in the village, eleven of which were recorded yesterday, including a staff member, we are going to continue to do distance learning through Tuesday. By then, most all of those currently on quarantine should be able to resume their normal activities, as long as they are masked up. We will decide on Tuesday afternoon whether we will resume face to face learning for the rest of the week. The City is recommending that everyone limit contact with others and to follow the normal coronavirus safety procedures. We will get through this pandemic together!

With two additional staff members contacting the Coronavirus, the school will not reopen until at least Monday. When we return to regular classes will depend on what the local COVID level is looking like this weekend. We will be watching the trend carefully. Meals will continue to be picked up between 11:30 and 1:00pm on weekdays. We were hoping to have parent/teacher conferences this week, but instead, we will be sending out Semester grades either with meals or by mail. Be watching for an update this weekend as to the status of school on Monday.

We will not have school until at least Friday because of the increase in the COVID-19 cases and other illnesses. Meals may be picked up between 11:30 and 1:00pm. We will will update you as we move forward.

Based upon the current COVID-19 information that we have, tomorrow will be a regular school day. We would, however, ask as was stated on Friday, that if your child is coughing, sneezing or feeling sick, please keep them home. We still have more than one virus going around the village. Also, if you are uncomfortable sending your child/children to school with the current number of illnesses in the village, let us know and we will provide homework for them. Hopefully we are nearing the end of these viruses and we can finally return to some normalcy! Thank you for your patience.

As we have at least three different sicknesses going around the village, I wanted to ask that if your children are not feeling well, or have symptoms of a virus, that you please keep them home. Also, if you are not comfortable sending your children to school with the current situation being as it is, they will be considered an excused absence. It is also possible that we will have additional cases of coronavirus either in the school, the village or both that will require that we go back to a red stage and distance learning. We hope this doesn’t happen, but just giving everyone a heads up of the possibility.

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All of our staff tested today, and we had no additional cases other than two that were reported earlier. Many of us had symptoms, but they turned out to be a nasty cold or the flu and not COVID! We also now have coverage available for all of our teachers. Therefore, school will resume on its normal schedule tomorrow morning. Normal COVID safety requirements will be in place, including the taking of temperatures, wearing of masks, social distancing, increased sanitation, no night gym. Thank you for your patience as well continue to navigate through these trying times.

Because of a combination of flu, colds and a lack of staff to cover classes, we are going to be on distance learning for today and possibly longer. We will keep you in the loop as we see what the situation looks like tomorrow. Meals will be provided as we have in the past distance learning situations. Please remember to social distance, to mask up in public buildings, wash hands frequently and to sanitize surfaces regularly. Be safe. Jim

Although at this time we have only one COVID-19 case in the village, because of the rate at which the Omnivirus spreads, and what appears to be a non travel related illness, we will be requiring masks to be worn by all staff and students for the next two weeks. Students, staff and visitors will also have their temperatures taken upon entering the building. I am not a fan of the required masking with a low number of cases locally, but I am less of a fan to having to close our school because of an outbreak of the virus in the school and the community that could possibly have been prevented. Thank you for your patience as we one again move to limit the spread of the virus in our school and our community.

The end of the first semester is this Friday (January 15th). Therefore, Thursday will be a staff work day and Friday will be a school inservice day to prepare for the second semester. Students will not have school Thursday or Friday. Stating on Monday, January 17, students will be dismissed at 3:30. We will finally be on our regular school schedule. We will still have early dismissal on Fridays.

Just a reminder that we are going to have our annual Christmas Program this evening at 7:00pm. Temperatures will be taken and masks are required for those who have not been vaccinated. Between the weather and COVID related issues, it is unclear whether Santa will be able to make it in this evening! We will see.

We will be on our early out schedule on 11/19/21.

We will be having parent/teacher conferences this Friday (11/19) from 1:00-5:00pm. We are looking forward to seeing you all then! We will be on our early our schedule.

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a regular school day. Those who attended the Wrestling/Cheerleading competition will need to get their ten day COVID test on Monday and follow up with another test on Friday ( Day 10)in accordance with the City Emergency Public Health Mandate. You may attend school pending the test results for the last two tests, but be alert for any COVID symptoms. Looking forward to returning to a Green Status! See you all tomorrow. :)

Meals are now ready to be picked up by by those families who are not in quarantine. We will be delivering meals to those who are quarantined, Meals will be served daily from 11:00 to 12:30.

Today the City Council issued an Emergency Order recommended that there be a city-wide lockdown and that there be no mass gatherings, including at our school. This lockdown is to stay in effect from today through November 21st. This means that there will be no school, and at this time, no meals served until the lockdown is lifted. It was felt that because of the time it takes for the virus to show itself, it would be best to protect not only the students and staff, but the community as a whole by locking down the city. Even quarantining just the students and the households of those who attended the sporting event would leave us without enough staff to keep the school open. If anything changes, we will keep you informed as it happens. We will have to make up the ten days lost because of this situation. Thanks.. Jim

Good Evening, Currently there have been a total of three cases of COVID identified at the wrestle/cheer tournament. The students are isolated away from the main group with an adult. The decision has been made to cancel the remainder of the wrestling/cheerleading tournament. There will be no further activities taking place at the Unalakleet School this weekend. We are working to schedule travel for students, coaches, and visiting parents to return home tomorrow. We will send out the information as soon as it's finalized, and it will be posted on Google Calendar. We thank you for your understanding and patience. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to call me at (907) 625-1590. Respectfully, Kris Busk

Good Afternoon, This afternoon a student tested positive for COVID-19 at the wrestling/cheerleading tournament. The student has been removed from the school building and is currently isolating with family outside of the school. All teams are currently quarantining and separated from group contact until the results of NSHC testing efforts come back. Social tracing is currently being conducted. The following message was sent by the Unalakleet School administration a few moments ago: "Due to a positive case being identified, the elementary/wrestling cheerleading tournament is currently postponed until tomorrow. All teams will remain in their room. No spectators or visitors will be allowed to enter the school. The situation will be reevaluated tomorrow morning." If the tournament ends up being cancelled, all athletes and coaches returning to the village will be asked to quarantine until the results of a COVID test that is taken at site are returning. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on my cell phone at (907) 625-1590. Thank you for your understanding. Kris Busk

It looks like the photographer will be here early enough tomorrow to do school pictures before doing the community pictures from 5-7pm. She will be leaving on Tuesday morning.