Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic provides mask packs to USD 355 and St. Joseph students and faculty

Going back to school during a global pandemic is a daunting task.

USD 355 and St. Joseph Catholic School administrators, staff, and teachers are working diligently to provide a safe environment in which they provide our students an education, and Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic is assisting in those efforts. The school plans focus on social distancing and mask wearing throughout the schools.

The hospital is providing a mask pack to all students, staff, and teachers at Ellinwood Grade School, Ellinwood Middle/High School, and St. Joseph Catholic School that will include three 3-ply cotton masks with adjustable ear loops, a travel bottle of hand sanitizer that can be attached to a backpack, and an information sheet with protective measures and a symptom checklist. The mask packs will be given to students on the first day of school, August 27th.

“It is critical that different community organizations and agencies work together to protect our students, teachers, and staff. It is also important that parents support the safety measures in place and encourage compliance in their students. Wearing a mask and social distancing are simple ways to ensure that activities can continue to take place,” reports Cassie Stevenson, Infection Prevention Nurse at Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic and USD 355 parent. She has assisted the school administration in best practices and safety protocols, in addition to detailing the process of identification, testing, and contact tracing protocols.

“It is our responsibility and our privilege to help our local schools navigate this return to school,” says Kile Magner, Ellinwood Hospital and Clinic CEO. “By providing these masks, we ensure that every student has access to tools that can protect their peers, their parents, their teachers, and their community as a whole.”

For more information about the COVID-19 pandemic, visit ellinwooddistricthospital.org. For more information about your specific school’s reopening, keep an eye out for upcoming parent’s meetings or contact your school.