A Letter from Dr. April Grace, Aug. 28, 2020
Dear Shawnee Families,
Again yesterday, we were made aware of a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in Pottawatomie
County. According to our county/regional health authorities, this increase is due once again to a large
number of positive cases (100) at a nearby correctional facility, located within our county. Officials
continue to consider this an institutional spread, rather than a community spread.
Despite the additional increase in positive cases, our county/regional health authorities do not believe we
need to make any changes to our current educational plan or safety protocols. We urge you to help us keep
our community’s number of positive cases low, by continuing to make safe choices. Make sure you and
your student(s) continue to follow CDC guidance by washing your hands frequently, keeping social
distance of 6 feet when possible, and wearing a mask over your nose and mouth when you cannot social
distance, as well as when in public, both indoors or outside.
As a reminder, both Shawnee Public Schools and the city of Shawnee have mandated mask requirements in
place. These requirements apply to all our athletic facilities both indoor and outside. Masks must always be
worn indoors and outside especially where social distancing cannot be kept. Our best opportunity to keep
school open, as well as extracurricular activities in place, is to follow these guidelines with diligence.
As always, we will continue to work closely with our county/regional and state officials to monitor the
situation. We will notify you if any changes to our learning plan become necessary in the future. For now,
stay safe and follow the above-mentioned CDC guidance/Shawnee Public Schools safety protocols. Please
review our Return to Learn Plan from time to time in order to stay updated on information, as things do
continue to remain fluid.
Stay Safe,
April Grace, Ed.D.
Superintendent