By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Superintendent Frank Hauser predicts “even brighter days are ahead in 2022” for the Sitka School District.
In his first email of the year to parents, staff and the public, Hauser recounted successes in the past year in COVID mitigation in the schools and plans going forward.
He noted that a masking policy had been in effect at least a year and a half before he arrived.
“As you’ve heard me say many times over, ‘masks aren’t forever’ in SSD, and I look forward to making the announcement that SSD is rolling back that mitigation too,” he said in the email.
“When is that happening?” he asks, and answers, “On the other side of this current surge.”
He pointed to an uptick in Sitka cases which turned into a “dramatic spike” as the new year began.
The state Department of Health and Social Services posted 74 cases in the week prior to Hauser’s email, and today the seven-day count was 88.
“These are numbers we haven’t seen in Sitka since August,” he said. Similar trends are being seen around the state, with a 262 percent increase in cases in the last week. Hauser also pointed to the average of 574 children with COVID being admitted to hospitals daily across the U.S., a record since the start of the pandemic.
Cars lined up on Moller Drive down to Halibut Point Road from the SEARHC testing site Monday.
Hauser said there is reassuring data that the current spike will be short-lived but current CDC and local Unified Command recommendations are for face coverings regardless of vaccination status.
“Until we’re on the other side of the surge we’re going to continue wearing masks,” he said. “We need to keep our students – and also our staff – healthy to keep our schools open.”
Addressing specific mask types, Hauser quoted the CDC that the “best mask is the one you will wear consistently and correctly.” Health experts say N95 and KF94 are best for limiting transmission, followed by surgical masks and cloth face coverings, he said.
Testing Kits
As for the home testing kits now coming into use, Hauser said, “I’m proud to say SSD was way ahead of the curve with our rapid testing program and we have the highly in demand rapid antigen tests available free of charge for all students and staff,” he said in the email. Testing days are Mondays at Sitka High, Tuesdays at Blatchley, Wednesday at Baranof, Thursday at Keet Gooshi Heen and Friday at Pacific High.
Silver Linings/ Omicron
In the “silver linings” comments in his email Hauser quoted the state epidemiologist, in an Anchorage Daily News story, that the current surge in the state is likely attributable to the “highly transmissible omicron variant.” And if that’s the case, data suggests a “silver lining” that it has surged and peaked relatively quickly within a few weeks.
Hauser also noted local Incident Commander Craig Warren’s “silver lining,” at the recent Unified Command meeting, that the new variant appears to be more transmissible but that people don’t appear to be getting as sick as with previous variants. But Warren also noted the surge in cases may result in higher hospitalizations.
Hauser said, in a separate “brighter days ahead,” that a report from South Africa indicates the country may have passed the peak of the fourth wave at a national level, and London cases may have peaked this week.
“In this country officials predict this latest wave may peak by the end of January. ... Even brighter days are ahead in 2022,” the superintendent said.
He also mentioned signs of a return to regular school district activities, including welcoming parent and other volunteers on playgrounds and in classrooms, spectators and the pep band back at sports events, and resumption of concerts and assemblies.
“We’ll continue to monitor the situation and look for opportunities,” he said.
Hauser said he’s proud Sitka schools were able to open in-person for full-day instruction in the fall, a contrast to the outbreaks, closures and remote education other districts have endured.
“I was most proud of the community, the students, the staff and the parents wanted to work to make that happen,” he said. “They rallied around that, to make that happen.”
“I do believe we’ll get masks off and this is the year that’s going to happen,” Hauser said Tuesday in a followup interview with the Sentinel. “But it’s going to take all of us. We need to continue to follow the city ordinance with our masking policy. I do believe we’ll be able to get masks off sooner rather than later, but we need to make sure we’re keeping students and staff safe and minimize potential spread.”
