Riverside will work to notify the community but must protect the confidentiality of their students and staff. Schools with 5 or few cases we will not provide a specific count, but will only confirm there are cases within the school population. Each week the district will provide a Community Update.
Riverside COVID-19 Information Page
More information on COVID-19 can be found at www.riversideschools.org and then click on “Riverside COVID-19 Information Page” at the top of the page.
We will return to our Traditional Model (100% Face to Face) on Monday November 30, 2020.
Due to high numbers of student and staff absenteeism, Riverside moved to Full Required Remote Learning Monday, November 23, 2020 and Tuesday, November 24. 2020.
Pottawattamie County Public Health and Riverside Community School District can confirm:
There were additional students and staff this week placed in quarantine due to primary exposure or testing positive for COVID-19. Some are set to return on Monday November 30, 2020 and we will continue to monitor these numbers on a daily basis.
Since the beginning of the school year we have had thirty-four (34) students and staff test positive for COVID-19.
We have had a total of three hundred twenty-six (326) students and staff since the beginning of the year that have been out and most have returned to school. Currently, One hundred ten (110) students and staff members will not be in school on Monday November 30, 2020. Some of these are set to return during this week.
No students or staff members with major symptoms or a Positive COVID-19 diagnosis are attending school or will be allowed to attend school or participate in activities.
We will continue implementing strict mitigation protocols.
If we see an increase in student and staff absences due to positive cases this can have a negative impact on school operations. Please consider strict mitigation techniques at this time.
Students and staff who tested positive and have completed quarantine, been cleared by Public Health to return to school and are asymptomatic are back in school.
Riverside COVID-19 Information Page
As of today (11-30-2020), Pottawattamie County is 20.3% positive-14 day average.
You can access this information at:
Positive Analysis - Public School District Summary
**Across the state we are seeing an increase in the number of waiver requests to provide primarily remote instruction. Here are some important reminders about remote instruction and the waiver process:
**The unique and critical role that schools play makes them a priority for remaining open, enabling students to receive both academic instruction and enable the provision of other critical services and supports. By strictly implementing mitigation strategies, schools should be able to meet the needs of their students and community, while reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread. This includes easing the potential adverse impacts on students’ social-emotional, behavioral, and mental health, as well as the loss of critical services provided to students to help mitigate health disparities and serve children in need, such as school lunch programs, special education services, after-school programs and mental health services when students are in school.
**Schools can immediately transition to remote learning for up to 48 hours while waiting for a waiver decision. Riverside utilized this option and went to remote for November 23 & 24, 2020. A key factor in the decision making was the ability to have enough staff capacity to facilitate Traditional Face to Face instruction.
**Schools can make these local decisions based on local conditions and only need to request a waiver if they feel that closing an entire building or the district is the right decision for their community. Riverside is not seeking a waiver now, but may need to in the future. We will monitor student and staff absenteeism daily. The key consideration for applying for the waiver will be staff absenteeism.
**If a district or school chooses to use primarily remote instruction they are required to temporarily cease in-person extracurricular activities for the duration of the period requested.
The following documents will help answer some of the questions you may have about how decisions are made related to quarantine and keeping schools open.