HOPE – Hope Public Schools administrators reminded parents and students today that changes in public education in the HPS in the era of COVID-19 have made contact between educators and parents acutely critical.

Timely reporting of COVID-19 testing, test results and quarantine status make contacts with district officials increasingly important, Bobcat Clinic Director Gretchen Carlton; and, changes in scheduling or bus routes make accurate contact information vital, HPS Facilities/Transportation Director Maurice Henry said.

Carlton, the district’s Point of Contact with the Arkansas Department of Health, said the following scenarios should be reported to her at 870-331-1052 or at gretchen.carlton@hpsdistrict.org online:

–Someone in the household has tested positive for COVID-19.

–Someone in the household has been identified as a Close Contact to a positive case of COVID-19 requiring quarantine and/or recommended for COVID-19 testing.

–Students attending classes on-site or employees are tested for COVID-19.

–Students or staff who are symptomatic for COVID-19 are required to remain in quarantine pending results of COVID-19 testing.

Henry said accurate home address and telephone contact information should be provided to each student’s campus for buses to be properly routed when scheduling changes occur such as the new “virtual Friday” policy which begins Nov. 6.

Students who attend on-campus may wish to go to campus on Fridays under the schedule change for completion of work or remediation, and modifications to bus routes will be required, Henry said.