Featured image of article: District Encourages Taking The ConVal Community Pledge

District Encourages Taking The ConVal Community Pledge

Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders is pleased to share that students and staff at Contoocook Valley School District are taking the #ConValCommunityPledge to do their part to stay healthy over the holidays, and are encouraging members of the broader community to join in.

Students and staff have created a video about the pledge and their reasons for taking it, which can be viewed by clicking here or by pressing the play button below.

The video features students and staff from ConVal Regional High School, Great Brook Middle School and Antrim Elementary School discussing the pledge and promising to wear their masks, wash their hands, watch their distance and socialize in small groups to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the community. In the video, students also shared their reasons for taking the pledge, which include wanting to return to school to continue learning, visit friends, and participate in sports and theater.

The Peterborough Fire Department also made a video taking the pledge, which can be viewed by clicking here.

To take part in the pledge, members of the community are encouraged to take a video or photo of themselves taking the pledge and share it on social media with the hashtag #ConValCommunityPledge.

“Our plan has included a transition to remote learning over the holiday season because we anticipated that there would be a second wave of COVID-19. We also knew that holiday travel could increase our risks. We wanted to first and foremost mitigate the chances of COVID-19 spreading during in-person learning as well as provide this opportunity for people to quarantine and travel safely,” Superintendent Rizzo Saunders said. “We hope that the pledge encourages people to do their part to take the necessary precautions to stay healthy over the coming weeks so that we can return to school after the holidays.”

Tuesday, November 24, will be the last day of in-person learning at Contoocook Valley School District for the remainder of the holiday season, and students will return to in-person learning on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

The transition to fully remote learning was built intentionally into this year’s schedule to allow students, families, and staff to quarantine at home and if they choose to travel, do so safely, to visit family and friends amid the ongoing pandemic. The move to remote learning seeks to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in the district community at a time when people traditionally travel, host indoor family gatherings, and other activities that increase the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

The state has lifted the requirement to quarantine for two weeks to those traveling or returning to New Hampshire from states including Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Those traveling to the state from outside of New England are still expected to quarantine for two weeks. Everyone is also urged to review the travel requirements and guidelines of any states they intend to travel to over the holidays, especially as case numbers fluctuate locally, regionally and nationally.

To review guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to traveling during COVID-19, click here.

By taking the pledge, students, staff, families and community members are agreeing to follow public health guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 so that they can return to in-person learning safely in January. This includes:

  • Wearing a face covering or mask in public and around those outside of your household
  • Washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water
  • Practicing social distancing by keeping a minimum of six feet from people who do not live in your household
  • Spending time with those in your household or with small groups to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure.

For more holiday guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention click here.