Cloverleaf Local Schools

Hello, Cloverleaf Families!

On Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removed its requirement for students and staff to wear facemasks on school buses. As a result, masking on school buses is optional beginning Feb. 28.

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.

On Jan. 26, the Ohio Department of Health recommended changes to the contact tracing process of local health departments. As a result, our Medina County Health Department is moving away from “universal contact tracing, case investigation and exposure notification” in our county schools. This change represents a fundamental shift in our school district’s contact tracing process.

As a result of the changes implemented by the health department, our local school resources will be focused upon the following:

Administratively, we are busy working through these changes and filtering them through the many scenarios we encounter as a school district operating during COVID. As our common goal continues to be to keep our kids in an in-person learning environment, we believe these Ohio Health Department changes will enable us to more efficiently utilize our resources to effectively manage COVID in our school district. Thank you for your understanding as we manage another wave of changes and continue to navigate the challenges of this pandemic.

Good Afternoon, Cloverleaf Families!

As you are aware, our buildings have been on a mask mandate since returning from winter break due to the severe Omicron outbreak experienced in our county. Back in early October, the Board of Education approved the following masking procedure:

“If the combined isolation/ quarantine (in-school and out-of-school) rate reaches 6% in any of our individual school buildings for three consecutive days, a mask mandate will be instituted in that building for 10 school days. If, on the 10th day, the quarantine/isolation level is at or below 4%, masking would become optional the following day. If, however, the quarantine/isolation level is not at or below 4% on the 10th day, the school will remain masked until the rate remains 4% or lower for three consecutive days.”

As a result of this procedure, masking at Cloverleaf High School will be optional (but highly encouraged) beginning tomorrow, Jan. 20. With the quarantine/isolation rates of the middle and elementary schools above 4% today, the 10th day of masking, students in those buildings will continue to wear masks until the quarantine/isolation rate falls to 4% or below for three consecutive school days.

Building administrators will reach out to parents once that threshold is reached. You can follow the daily percentages of all our buildings on our Cloverleaf dashboard: https://www.cloverleaflocal.org/COVID-19Dashboard.aspx.

I know this continues to be a trying time for all of us as masking remains a divisive issue throughout our country. I am most grateful that we have proven an ability to keep our school doors open through this current surge as in-person learning continues to be our common goal for our Cloverleaf students!

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate these difficult times.

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

The Medina County Health Department has adopted new guidelines for COVID-19 isolation and quarantine issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Ohio Department of Health. Please click HERE to visit the Cloverleaf School Nurse page for more.

Good Morning, Cloverleaf Families.

As you may have heard by now, COVID rates in Medina County have reached an all-time high with our county incidence rate reaching 17 times the level considered to be “high incidence."  Three days ago, superintendents received a letter from the Ohio Hospital Association asking school districts to mask students and staff when returning from break. Yesterday, our Medina County superintendents received an email from our county health department urging students and staff to wear masks for a two-week period when returning from break.

I have said all along that our collective community goal at Cloverleaf is to keep our kids learning in school and not in a remote environment as some districts have already had to do. If we have a student and staff COVID surge upon our return, our chances of keeping our students in school become increasingly diminished.  

Therefore, the decision has been made to implement a mask mandate during school hours for all students and staff beginning Monday, Jan. 3 for a period of 10 school days in an effort to keep our students and staff in in-person learning. Although the high school was already coming back to school masked, this new mandate will affect our elementary and middle school students as well with all three buildings to mask for the next 10 school days.  

I understand this is a divisive issue, not just in Cloverleaf, but all over our state and country. I hate to start a new year this way, but feel it is our best option to ensure we can continue educating our students in person.

I wish you and your family a wonderful new year and am looking forward to a brighter 2022.

Have a wonderful New Year’s Eve and stay safe!

Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Dear Cloverleaf Families,

Cloverleaf is partnering with the Medina County Health Department to host a follow-up COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at Cloverleaf Elementary School. This clinic is open to students ages 5 and up, Cloverleaf staff and their families, and members of the public. There is no cost.

Individuals who received their first dose of a two-dose vaccine at our Nov. 15 clinic can receive their second dose conveniently on the Cloverleaf campus. Boosters also are available for those who are eligible.

Anyone wishing to receive the first dose of a two-dose vaccine at the Dec. 6 clinic is also welcome to attend. However, there are no additional clinics scheduled at Cloverleaf, so it will be necessary to visit another clinic or local provider for the second dose. A list of local clinics is available at www.MedinaHealth.org.

Please register for the clinic using the ArmorVax smartphone app or at www.ArmorVax.com. No code is needed to register. For help using ArmorVax, please visit the Medina County Health Department’s website at www.MedinaHealth.org.

Students ages 5 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to receive a vaccine. If your child is age 5 to 17 and receiving their first dose, please bring a birth certificate or photo I.D. for age verification. If those are unavailable, the health department can access the State of Ohio’s immunization registry for age verification. Parents with students ages 5 to 17 who are receiving their second dose only need to bring their child’s COVID-19 vaccination card.

We are grateful to the Medina County Health Department for its continued partnership in offering this opportunity to our students, families, staff and community.

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Dear Cloverleaf Parents,

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control authorized emergency use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. In partnership with the Medina County Health Department, Cloverleaf is hosting a vaccination clinic from 5 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 15, at Cloverleaf Elementary School. All Cloverleaf students ages 5 and older, their family members, and members of the public are invited to receive a vaccination at this clinic. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines all will be available for ages 12 and up. There is no cost.

Please register using the ArmorVax smartphone app or at www.ArmorVax.com. No code is needed to register. For help using ArmorVax, please visit the Medina County Health Department’s website at www.MedinaHealth.org.

Students ages 5 to 17 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to receive the vaccine. Please bring proof of your child’s age with you to the clinic. This could be a birth certificate or photo I.D. If those are unavailable, the health department can access the State of Ohio’s immunization registry for age verification. So, if you wish to have your child vaccinated, please do not let the lack of a birth certificate or photo I.D. be a barrier to that.

The Medina County Health Department has been a vital partner to Cloverleaf throughout this pandemic and has hosted several previous clinics on our campus. We are grateful to join with them once again to provide this latest vaccination opportunity for the Cloverleaf community and especially for our younger students.

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Hello Cloverleaf Families!

When the mask mandate was implemented on Sept. 3, our district was on an unsustainable trajectory of student isolations/quarantines that was likely to lead us back to remote instruction. At that time, the Cloverleaf Board of Education made a commitment to our parents that we would review COVID data at every subsequent board meeting to make a determination about masking going forward. Considering the downward trend of the Delta variant in our state, our county, and our schools, isolations/quarantines have dropped dramatically here at Cloverleaf. As a result, at its meeting last night, the board approved a change back to optional masking beginning Monday, Oct. 11.

The board and I also understand the unpredictable nature of COVID. To assure that we don’t go back to our former trajectory, some safeguards have been put in place to reinstitute masking should our quarantine/isolation levels warrant it. Specifically, if the combined isolation/ quarantine (in-school and out-of-school) rate reaches 6% in any of our individual school buildings for three consecutive days, a mask mandate will be instituted in that building for 10 school days. If, on the 10th day, the quarantine/isolation level is at or below 4%, masking would become optional the following day. If, however, the quarantine/isolation level is not at or below 4% on the 10th day, the school will remain masked until the rate remains 4% or lower for three consecutive days.

Also beginning Oct. 11, we will add a component to our district’s COVID dashboard so our parents can know the current status of our isolations/quarantines as a percentage of the student body in each individual building.

Due to the new in-school quarantine procedures established on Oct. 1 by the Medina County Health Department, those students who are identified as a close contact to a COVID infected individual in an in-school setting may continue to attend school, but are required to mask in school for the duration of their quarantine period and are not permitted to participate in extracurricular or other after-school activities during the quarantine period (unless the activity is one where all participants are masked). Parents may also choose an out-of-school quarantine instead of the in-school option. Per the health department, students who are a close contact to a COVID-infected individual outside of the school setting are still required to quarantine outside of school.

Please also note that the district’s change to optional masking does not change the requirements on school buses or other school transportation. Per a CDC order, all students and staff riding school transportation are required to wear masks.

While masking is optional beginning Monday, we strongly encourage everyone to continue mask wearing to give us the best chance of keeping our quarantines/isolations low. Navigating COVID has been, by far, the biggest challenge I have faced in my 14 years of leading this district I love so much. While COVID is going to remain a part of our lives for the foreseeable future, I am looking forward to communicating to you about some of the great things we have to look forward to such as the “beam signing”, time capsule, and other exciting events that await our students as we begin construction on our new high school. The future is bright at Cloverleaf!

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Dear Cloverleaf Parents and Guardians,

I’m writing to share an update we received today from the Medina County Health Department regarding quarantine procedures for in-school COVID-19 exposures.

In essence, if a student has had close contact with a COVID-infected person during the school day, and is symptom-free, that student can now, with parental permission, opt for an in-school quarantine and continue to attend class. (A “close contact” is defined as an unmasked, unvaccinated person who was within six feet of a COVID-infected person for 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period.) Since masking is currently required at Cloverleaf, the setting where an in-school exposure could take place is at lunchtime when students remove their masks to eat.

There are two requirements for the in-school quarantine. First, the student must remain masked during the school day -- which is already required of all students and staff -- for a 14 calendar day quarantine period. Second, the student must observe six-foot social distancing while at lunch for the 14-day quarantine. Lunch arrangements will be coordinated by principals.

In-school quarantine is still quarantine. Therefore in-school quarantined students are not permitted to participate in extracurricular or other after-school activities during the quarantine period unless the activity is one where all participants are masked.

If a student is currently on at-home quarantine related to an in-school exposure, that student may return to school on Monday, Oct. 4, and complete the quarantine period in school -- provided they are symptom-free, receive parent approval to return, and meet the requirements listed above.

Please remember this new option for in-school quarantine applies only to in-school exposure. Any exposure that occurs outside the school day still requires an at-home quarantine.

As noted in previous emails, the Cloverleaf Board of Education reviews COVID-related data and district policies at each school board meeting. If the board reinstitutes optional masking at some point in the future, it would affect the in-school quarantine procedure outlined above. I would communicate any such changes to you following board action.

I wish all of our students and families a safe and fun Homecoming weekend!

Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Dear Cloverleaf Parents and Guardians,

Last night, I updated the Cloverleaf Board of Education on the COVID-19 isolation and quarantine rates in our school district. As you know, our high number of quarantines were leading us down a path toward full remote instruction -- and that’s not where any of us want our students to be. Our goal is to keep Cloverleaf students learning in their classrooms with Cloverleaf teachers.

Following the Board’s decision to require face masks for students and staff beginning Sept. 3, our quarantine numbers have started to decline. That’s good news that is being felt in our school buildings -- and I’m sure in the homes of our Cloverleaf families.

At last night’s meeting -- and I invite you to watch the Zoom recording here -- I discussed with the board the potential of easing mask requirements when the number of COVID-related student absences fall below a predetermined threshold in the future. However, with only 8 school days of masking, the board and I don’t feel we currently have enough data to make such a determination to change our current masking policy.  Additionally, state and county data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) suggest that we may be nearing the peak of the current COVID-19 surge as student cases in the state have accelerated dramatically in the last week.

With more data in hand, I will provide an update to the Board of Education at its next meeting on Oct. 6 and will follow up with another message to you.

Sincerely,

Dear Cloverleaf Parents,

Our collective optimism for the beginning of this school year has been dimmed by the sheer number of student COVID cases and quarantines. As of yesterday, 11 days into the school year, we had 320 student quarantines, which is 93% of our total from all of last year. Our 50 student COVID cases represent 109% of the total cases we had all last year.

I have received many calls and emails from parents expressing concern about the disruption to education, jobs and family this school year has created. On our current trajectory, we are destined for full remote instruction again. Last night, upon my recommendation, the Board of Education took a step to change that trajectory -- mandatory masking for all students and staff beginning tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 3.

Masking will enable us to drastically reduce the number of quarantines that are interrupting student learning. According to the Medina County Health Department, while wearing masks our students who are "close contacts" to infected individuals will not have to quarantine. This will be a major step toward getting our students back to class and on the road to uninterrupted learning.

Here are a few other facts about our masking protocol going forward:

1. The mask mandate will be only during the hours school is in session and only indoors. Masks will continue to be required on school transportation. Masking won't be required at other times, including athletic events, but masking of unvaccinated individuals in indoor settings is still "strongly recommended" per the Ohio Department of Health.

2. The Board of Education will review COVID data in 2 weeks and every subsequent board meeting (as needed) to make a determination when it would be appropriate to return to optional masking.

3. There will be no visitors or non-instructional volunteers permitted in the buildings.  Instructional volunteers will need to mask.

4. Administrators are working on lunch procedure changes to create additional space for students to spread out and/or schedule changes to increase social distance when students are unmasked during lunch.

I understand this is a divisive issue not just in Cloverleaf, but all over our state and country. As I told the board and audience last night, masks are a pathway to keep our kids in our in-person learning environment. I have heard loud and clear from our parents, our students and our staff that in-person learning in Cloverleaf is where we want our kids. I completely agree with that sentiment. At this point, the Board and I are doing what we can to preserve in-person learning for our students this year. I am looking forward to a time when we are 100% back to normal and we can focus on our new building project, student academic achievement, and the significant athletic accolades we have accumulated in the last year. We will get through these trying times together.

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Hello, Cloverleaf Parents!

I am so excited to welcome our 1st through 5th, 6th, and 9th graders back to school tomorrow and everyone in grades 1-12 back to school on Thursday! (Kindergarten starts 8/23 and preschool starts 8/30.)

The reason I’m writing is that all our county districts were notified today by the Medina County Health Department that the quarantine guidance for school-related COVID exposure has changed. We will follow this Ohio Department of Health flowchart: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/covid-19-fact-sheet-k-12-exposure-and-quarantine-flow-chart.pdf

Summary:
  1. If a student/employee is fully vaccinated, quarantine will not be required unless the student/employee develops COVID-19 symptoms.
  2. If a student/employee (fully vaccinated or unvaccinated) wore a face covering during a period of exposure to COVID-19***, quarantine will not be
     required unless the student/employee develops COVID-19 symptoms.
  3. If the student/employee is not fully vaccinated and did not wear a face covering during the period of exposure to COVID-19***, quarantine is required.

***Exposure is defined as less than 6 feet from an affected individual for a period of 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period of time.

I hope your family finds this information helpful. I look forward to the start of a great school year. Thank you for the tremendous support you continue to show to our Cloverleaf Local School District!

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent

Dear Cloverleaf Families,

As promised, I am providing you with the 2021-22 Return-to-School information that was unanimously approved by the Cloverleaf Board of Education on Aug. 4. Parents can now finalize their decision regarding whether or not their children will attend school in-person or remotely.

If your child(ren) is attending school in-person, please watch for more information from your child’s school.

Please click HERE to register for the Colts Online Learning Academy (COLA). (Registration is open August 5-11).

Please click HERE to register for the Medina County Educational Service Center Virtual Academy.

 
Descriptors for each virtual option can be found in the Return-to-School plan below or in the links above. I look forward to the start of a great school year!

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.

(Aug. 4, 2021)

Face Masks
Face masks will be optional for all students and employees in school except while on school buses (see “school buses” below). Per the Ohio Department of Health, we strongly recommend students and staff who have not been vaccinated wear masks.

Social Distance
We will keep as much seated social distance as we can, but there will be no guaranteed minimum.

School Buses
Per a mandate from the Centers for Disease Control, all students and employees will be required to wear face masks while riding school transportation. We will keep as few students in a seat as the route will enable.

Quarantine
We will follow the requirements of the Medina County Health Department. Currently, quarantine is required if someone is less than six feet away from a COVID-positive or COVID-probable person for more than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period. However, if the parties involved wore face coverings and were at least three feet apart, or if someone is fully vaccinated, quarantine is not required. School district communications to families regarding quarantine will continue via the September 3, 2020, state order. We will continue to follow this or any new orders.

Hallway Patterns
Strict one- and two-way hallway traffic patterns will no longer be enforced.

Hygiene and Cleaning/Sanitizing
We will continue utilizing hand-sanitizing stations throughout the campus. We will also continue to clean high-touch areas (railings, door knobs, etc.) through the day.  Additionally, all classrooms will continue to be sanitized on a daily basis.

Drinking Fountains
In addition to water bottle filling stations that were added last year, drinking fountains will also be made available in buildings this year.

Volunteers
Volunteers will, once again, be permitted in buildings, subject to Cloverleaf board policy.

Breakfast/Lunch
Breakfast and lunch will, once again, be free to all students for the 2021-22 school year.

Student Schedules
All students will attend school on a typical five-day schedule, per the district calendar.

Online Learning Options

Colts Online Learning Academy (COLA)
Students (K-12) can attend the COLA once again in the 2020-21 school year. This is similar to our online format from last year with a couple of changes. This is an asynchronous online environment, meaning it is a self-paced program. New for the 2021-22 school year, per Ohio House Bill 110, all students will need to log on for a total of 910 hours for the year (304 hours per trimester for grades K-5, 455 hours per semester for grades 6-12). Another change this year is that students in grades K-8 will no longer have a teacher facilitator; rather, they will have online access to subject specialists in all content areas. These subject specialists are Ohio licensed teachers, but are not Cloverleaf teachers. The director who oversees the COLA program on behalf of Cloverleaf is a Cloverleaf teacher and will be available to you for technical or other support your student(s) may need. Students in grades 9-12 will utilize the same Edmentum program as last year with the same format with student work being overseen by a Cloverleaf teacher facilitator. Parents selecting the COLA option must commit for a minimum of one trimester in grades K-5 or one semester in grades 6-12. The start date for the COLA program is Aug. 19. Please click HERE for enrollment information.

Medina County Educational Service Center Virtual Academy
Another online option for students grades in K-8 is the Medina County ESC Virtual Academy. This is a synchronous program in which students will log on for a virtual school experience during the student day. It is like a regular school day, only online. Parents selecting this option must commit for the entire school year. Those parents who already signed up for this option through the ESC need to do nothing further. Kindergarten will only be offered if a minimum of 20 students from the county sign up. (As of now, there will not be a kindergarten offering). The start date for the Medina County ESC Virtual Academy is Sept. 7. Please click HERE for enrollment information.

Co-curricular and Extracurricular Activities
Co-curricular (marching band) and extracurricular activities will be offered without restriction this year -- barring any orders to the contrary from federal, state or county entities.

Vaccination Clinics
As vaccines become available to students under 12, we will partner with the Medina County Health Department to offer vaccination on our campus similar to the clinics we hosted last school year.

(All listed procedures are subject to change based upon local, state, or federal orders or mandates.)

Dear Cloverleaf Parents,

I am excited to welcome your children for what I anticipate to be a great year at Cloverleaf Local Schools! In planning for the return of our students, we have been anxiously awaiting the Ohio Department of Health’s school guidance, which we just received this week. I’m writing today to let you know that I plan to review our Return-to-School Plan with the Cloverleaf Board of Education at its meeting this upcoming Wednesday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m.  To access a livestream of the meeting via Zoom, or to view the meeting recording, please click HERE to visit the district website. I then intend to share the finalized plan with you via email on Thursday, Aug. 5.

Although the vast majority of our parents have a desire to send their students to in-person school, I know some still have concerns. Some parents have stated they really liked the online learning option last year and intend to continue. Others want to know more about our return-to-school plan before making a final decision. That is completely understandable. That is why we don’t intend to ask you for a final decision about online learning until you get a chance to see the return to school plan on Aug. 5. You will have the opportunity to enroll your child(ren) in an online option from Aug. 5-11. In preparation for that decision, I am including some information about the online options available to you this school year. There have been some changes to our program -- some due to legislation and others due to our effort to increase the effectiveness of the experience:

Cloverleaf Online Learning Academy (COLA)
Students (K-12) can attend the COLA once again in the 2020-21 school year.  This is similar to our online format from last year with a couple changes.  This is an asynchronous online environment, meaning it is a self-paced program.  New for the 2021-22 school year, per HB110, all students will need to log on for a total of 910 hours for the year (304 hours per tri-mester grades K-5, 455 hours per semester grades 6-12).  Another change this year is that students in grades K-8 will no longer have a teacher facilitator; rather, they will have online access to subject specialists in all content areas. These subject specialists are Ohio licensed teachers, but are not Cloverleaf teachers.  The director who oversees the COLA program on behalf of Cloverleaf is a Cloverleaf teacher and will be available to you for technical or other support your student(s) may need.  Students in grades 9-12 will utilize the same Edmentum program as last year with the same format with student work being overseen by a Cloverleaf teacher facilitator.  Parents selecting the COLA option must commit for a minimum of one tri-mester in grades K-5 or one semester in grades 6-12.  The start date for the COLA program is August 19th.

Medina County Educational Service Center Virtual Academy
Another online option for students in grades K-8 is the Medina County ESC Virtual Academy. This is a synchronous program in which students will log on for a virtual school experience during the student day. It is like a regular school day, only online. Parents selecting this option must commit for the entire school year. Those parents who already signed up for this option through the ESC need to do nothing further. Kindergarten will only be offered if a minimum of 20 students from the county sign up. (As of now, there will not be a kindergarten offering). The start date for the Medina County ESC Virtual Academy is Sept. 7. Please click here for enrollment information: https://www.medina-esc.org/protected/ArticleView.aspx?iid=63UGAYB&dasi=4G20Y

Sincerely,
Daryl Kubilus Jr.
Superintendent
Cloverleaf Local Schools

Cloverleaf Continuity of Services Plan intended to meet the requirements of the American Recovery Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER)