PRATT USD 382 Logo

Optional COVID-19 Testing is available through USD 382, testing is limited and you must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for testing.  

Video link

Greenback Family,

With revised CDC guidance and after consulting with our Pratt County Health Department, we have made some adjustments with our protocols.

Staff who are Covid positive are quarantined 5 days (or 72 hours symptom free, whichever is longer) from the date of a positive test or documentable symptoms.  Per Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) guidelines, Covid-positive students are still required to quarantine for 10 days.  Staff and students who are a close contact and unvaccinated (and haven’t had Covid within the last 6 months) may still continue to opt for the test-to-stay program (that requires a negative daily Covid test and wearing a facemask for five days).  Asymptomatic vaccinated students/staff (or who have had Covid within the last 6 months) do not have to quarantine if they are a close contact.  Modified quarantines at our elementary school will run 5 days from the last exposure.  More details can be found on the usd382 webpage under the “Covid-19” tab on the “January 3^rd protocol revisions” document.

In some ways, we are moving towards treating this as an endemic infection—we will continue to collaborate with our Pratt County Health Department and follow their guidance.  The availability of effective vaccines has tremendously reduced the risk of hospitalization for vaccinated individuals of all ages and health conditions—Wichita Wesley hospital officials “say at least 95% of their Covid-19 patients are unvaccinated against the virus” (Wichita Eagle Jan 1).  Local data mirrors those numbers.  Of course, we understand we still have serious health concerns as a state and community—Wesley Hospital is also experiencing critical staffing shortages due to Covid and this is negatively impacting healthcare for all patients.  Locally, we have healthcare staffing challenges as well.  So far, the data still shows children to be overwhelmingly safe from contracting a severe covid infection, but that is never 100% safe.  The closer we get we get to knocking this out, the closer we get to 100%, and we relieve pressure on our healthcare system. 

I want to give a heartfelt thanks to our staff who continue to persevere in a challenging environment and pick up the slack for each other whenever we have been hit with a staffing shortage.  But, I want to caution that I am very concerned about the next 3-4 weeks.  Even with reduced quarantine times, national and international data on the Omicron variant shows a rapid acceleration of positive cases within a community.  The data also shows it to be mostly a less severe variant, but hindsight is 20-20 so there is some uncertainty there.  We will do whatever we can to stay open for our kids, but these next few weeks have me a bit worried. 

Finally, I want to thank our healthcare professionals.  They have been fighting a war for 2 years and they continue to be heroes.  We are in this together and will keep up the good fight as a community.

Respectfully,

Tony Helfrich

Superintendent

Pratt Schools USD 382

No School - Teacher Professional Day - January 17

Homecoming - February 11

No School - Teacher Professional Day - February 21

End of 3rd 9 weeks - 11:30 Student Dismissal - March 10

No School - March 11

Daylight Savings Time - March 13

Spring Break - March 14-18

No School - April 15-17

No School - Teacher Professional Day - May 9

PHS Graduation @ 4:00 - May 22

Last Day of School - 11:30 Dismissal - May 26

On behalf of our teachers, staff, and school board I welcome you to our district webpage.  We are proud of the important work we do with kids to set them up for success and personal well-being this day, this year, and in their future. 

We are small-town schools where strong relationships are an integral part of what we do—our principals know every student.  Our high school students pair with elementary students (Greenback Match), providing positive leadership and building connections within our student family.  Elementary and middle school students hold daily “family” meetings to foster our sense of teamwork and togetherness. Developing our students’ social-emotional strengths is an important goal because we recognize its connection to personal well-being and success both now and in the future.

Because of our size, we are still able to provide a wide variety of opportunities for our students.  We have first-class arts programs (band, vocal, theater, debate, forensics, and art), a model elementary MTSS program, an enrichment program for all students, multiple career pathways with instructors in the specialties, and internship and apprenticeship programs.  With our connection to Pratt Community College, our college-bound students often leave with 15-30 hours or more of college credit. 

In athletics and activities, we compete at a high level—4A for most activities (3A in football).  This level allows our entire student body to participate and be successful in multiple activities if they are willing to commit and work hard.  But, make no mistake, you must compete with grit to be successful at our level. We have Greenback alumni on scholarship at D1 and D2 programs as well as smaller colleges, community colleges, and technical schools—both for athletics and academics.  Regardless of the educational path they choose to take when they leave us, we are proud of our Greenback graduates who are positive contributors to our community and others.  

We are small schools with big opportunities.  We are a Greenback family. If you would like a tour, please feel free to contact our principals or myself.

Tony Helfrich, Superintendent

Pratt Schools USD 382