Dear STGRSD Families,
Please see this important message below from the District transportation provider Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative (LPVEC).
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Dear Bus Riders,
This is a reminder as we head into cooler and inclement weather that you will need to dress appropriately with coats, hats, and gloves for your bus ride with the windows open. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Departments has issued guidance that all school bus transportation providers must follow to make it safer for everyone on the school bus. All windows need to be open on the school bus for air circulation to reduce potential exposure for everyone in the bus, and students need to sit in their assigned seat. This needs to be done at all times. In cooler weather they will not be all of the way down. The DESE guidance is:
Ventilation
Mitigate airborne transmission by increasing outdoor air ventilation. Doing so helps dilute the concentration or displace the presence of an airborne virus. Opening windows can greatly increase the level of ventilation within a school bus and therefore reduce COVID-19 transmission risk.
·Keep windows open at all times during operation, unless not possible due to extreme weather conditions. Even in cold or rainy weather, bus windows should be kept open at least partially (a couple of inches), if possible.
·Consider keeping roof hatches open on buses during operation for further ventilation.
Seat assignments and boarding
Assigning specific buses, routes, and seats to students and staff in advance will limit potential exposure and make contact tracing easier to conduct.
Thank you for your understanding and assistance during these times.
Charles Crowe
Transportation General Manager
Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative