Families were sent a letter today from SAU9 Superintendent of Schools, Kevin Richard confirming a positive case of COVID-19 at Conway Elementary School. Please read below.

Good Afternoon,

We were informed today of a confirmed case of COVID-19 at Conway Elementary School. 

We are actively working with and following guidelines from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). 

We have contacted those individuals, or their parents/guardians, who were determined to be in close contact with the infected person and they have been instructed to self-quarantine. They will be directed to get tested and keep themselves or their children quarantined until 14 days following their last possible exposure. In the event that your child has to quarantine, they will be able to access their education remotely.

If you or your child are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, chills, respiratory illness, aches or change in taste and smell, please stay home and away from others and get a COVID-19 PCR test. You may choose to seek out testing from your healthcare provider or at one of the testing sites located throughout the state. 

The safety of our children and employees is our top priority.  We will continue to follow CDC guidelines for physical distancing, mask wearing, cleaning and disinfecting our high-traffic areas and frequently touched surfaces as outlined in the SAU #9 Re-Entry Plan.   

Please see additional details and information in the COVID 19 Family Letter 10_20_2020.pdf . 

We appreciate your ongoing cooperation and support in these unpredictable times.  

Sincerely,

Kevin Richard, SAU9 Superintendent of Schools

Bean’s Purchase – A group of hikers activated their emergency beacon while also calling 911 after a member of their party started exhibiting signs of possible cold weather symptoms.  The group had just started to descend the Black Angel Trail from the Carter Dome Trail and were approximately 5 miles in from Route 16 when the call for help went out.

The group of five were on the second day of a planned three day hike starting from Bog Brook in Jackson Saturday morning.  The group hiked Bog Brook Trail, Rainbow Trail to the Carter Dome Trail.  They had just started down Black Angel Trail when they made the call.  In addition to the one hiker’s unspecified condition, a drop in temperature combined with the wet clothing and steep terrain precipitated the call for help.

NH Fish & Game Conservation Officers and volunteers from Androscoggin Valley Search & Rescue responded to the call.

The group of hikers identified as Vaiva Snapkauskaite, 23, of Lake Forest, Ca, Abigail Taussig, 23, of Cambridge, MA, Alexander Quinn, 24, of Cambridge, MA, Katherine Steinberg, 24, of Boston, MA, and Amanda Farnsworth, 23, of North Kingston, RI attempted to stay warm in their wet sleeping bags, but the exposure at the high elevation, just made them colder.  There was not enough cell phone coverage to hold a call, but a Fish and Game Conservation Officer was able establish contact via text. 

After being told that it would be several hours before rescuers would be able to reach them, the hikers heeded the advice given to them and began to move and were able to make it back up to the ridge onto the Carter Dome Trail.  From there they made it to Zeta Path where they were met by the first of several rescuers.

Rescuers provided the group with hot drinks and warm clothes and guided them down to the 19 Mile Brook Trail and eventually out to Route 16 in Green’s Grant.  The hikers and rescue crew made it out shortly after 11:00 p.m.  The hikers suffered no adverse medical effects from the cold and after proper hydration and continuing movement, were able to make it down with little assistance.

In the span of a couple days, the weather in the higher terrain has changed from summer to winter conditions.  There is now several inches to several feet of snow in the higher elevations.  Hikers who plan to continue hiking are reminded to plan for winter conditions by having the proper equipment and training to be able to safely complete their hike and need to pay attention to the weather and summit conditions and alter plans if conditions are not ideal.

Outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to purchase a Hike Safe card at wildnh.com/safe.  The card helps support Fish and Game search and rescue activities.

North Conway, NH – The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce (MWVCC) has been contacted by college students from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who are interested in working this winter in the White Mountains.  They are attending classes remotely and are hoping to find jobs in and around Mt. Washington Valley to augment their income while studying.  The chamber is seeking anyone interested in offering a room or accommodations in their home for these students ideally through December 30, 2020 or beyond. Ideally, the students would have access to private or shared baths and shared kitchens too.  Funds are available through MWVCC to offer Covid-19 testing for all students to insure they are safe to travel, work and live in the Valley.

     “We are hoping to find people living in the Valley who will open their homes to students, much like they might for a foreign exchange student,” said Janice Crawford, Executive Director of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. “This is such a win: win for the Valley.  Businesses throughout the Valley are desperately seeking workers and these students come to the Valley ready and motivated to work!” she added.

     The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce is working in collaboration with the six chambers and associations in the White Mountains to help identify, recruit and pair workers with available job openings through a new Workforce Recruitment and Housing Development program, funded by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery (GOFERR) and a special program called the Chamber of Commerce Partnership Assistance Fund. Through this program, new workforce sources and housing for them are being identified, like this – using students to help fill tourism related positions during the busy winter season.  Both Janice Crawford and Kathleen Flammia of the Jackson Chamber, are spearheading this program.

      Anyone interested in offering a place in their home for students to live throughout the winter or have additional questions about the workforce program are encouraged to contact Janice Crawford via email at Janice@MtWashingtonValley.org.