From the school : Sams Valley Elementary Update The District 6 community is mourning the tragic loss of one of our Sams Valley Elementary staff members. Our friend and staff member passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 20th, at Providence Medical Center, after a short, unexplained illness. At this point, we are not releasing the staff member’s name publically, in order to protect the privacy of her family. Please know, however, that plans are in the works to honor her life and her contribution to our community; we will release that information soon, with permission from her family. District counselors and psychologists were on site at Sams Valley Elementary on Tuesday, May 20th, to support students and staff as they began to work through the grieving process. Letters were also sent home with students Tuesday afternoon so that parents were informed and could provide support for their children. Tuesday evening, District officials learned that one of the employee’s immediate family members was also hospitalized at Providence (that family member was released from Providence this morning) and that there are two other SVE staff members suffering from an illness. After consulting with Dr. Jim Shames, Jackson County Public Health Officer, we determined that Sams Valley Elementary be closed on Wednesday, May 21st for cleaning, as a precautionary measure. Dr. Shames emphasized that there is no known public health risk at this time and that the steps to close SVE for the day were precautionary. Dr. Shames has been in communication with medical staff at Providence and said that there is no confirmation at this point that the illnesses are connected. He did agree that closing the school for cleaning was a prudent, precautionary step to ensure the safety of our staff and students and reassure parents. District officials continue to be in contact with the Jackson County Health Department as they investigate this issue and will follow any suggested protocols should a public health risk emerge. At this time, there is no reason for students or staff to seek medical attention unless they present with symptoms that would typically require medical attention. Any updates about this situation will be posted here and on the District 6 website. If you have questions about this situation, please contact Samantha Steele at 541-494-6201 or 541-494-6202.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 20:30:44 +0000
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