Cooperating with COVID

EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH has had to adapt and change protocols and procedures to cooperate with the COVID-19 pandemic. Superintendent Dr. Sito Narcisse commissioned Stacey H. Dupre, Chief of Student Support, and Cheree Duvic, Supervisor of Health Services, to assemble a team to implement a COVID-19 strategy plan for students and their families to follow in their homes. The team also created action plans for schools to remain safe and healthy.

One of the ways EBRPSS is working to keep everyone safe is by providing COVID-19 testing at schools. Dr. Narcisse partnered with Orion Laboratories to administer tests for the virus to students and staff in the parish. Through the weekly tests, Orion can help stop the spread of the virus and ensure that students are healthy during the pandemic. The EBR System also admin-

istered free testing sites in various areas in the parish, including at community events, CVS stores and other locations. In consultation with the Health Advisory Council, along with constant monitoring of COVID-19 transmission rates, protocols were in place to monitor the “We have continued to make all public well-being of the school sites. Some of those guidelines includ-health decisions based upon the most ed “Isolation & Quarantine for recently available data and based EBRPSS Pre K-12 Schools and K-12 Sports In Alignment with upon the advice of our Health Advisory LDH COVID-19 Guidance for Committee. The health and safety of our Schools,” “Transition to Virtual Learning,” and “Sanitation and staff and students always come first.” Cleaning.” These guidelines were set for families to feel that their —DR. SITO NARCISSE, SUPERINTENDENT households are protected.

Another way Dr. Narcisse and his staff worked to ensure the health and safety of students and staff was by encouraging families to receive vaccinations. According to the CDC, vaccination is the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting vaccination among all eligible individuals can help schools protect students and staff, as well as their families. COVID-19 prevention strategies remain critical to protecting students and staff who are not up to date or not eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, especially in areas of substantial or high transmission levels.

“We have continued to make all public health decisions based upon the most recently available data and based upon the advice of our Health Advisory Committee,” Dr. Narcisse said. “The health and safety of our staff and students always come first.” Dr. Narcisse continues to monitor and follow the Health Advisory Council. During the second semester of the 2021-2022 school year, administrators determined that wearing mask face coverings would be optional for staff and students in grade Pre-K through 12. Dr. Narcisse based the decision on the district’s 10-day COVID-19 positivity rate below 0.5%.

As the virus spreads throughout the nation, EBRPSS will continue to monitor the virus and compile regulations to keep the parish in good shape. Dr. Narcisse plans to continue to fight for the health of EBR Parish and wants to provide safety protocols for families. Learn more about the school system’s resources to keep children safe on the EBRPSS website at https://www.ebrschools.org/ covid-19.