Baker City – (Release from Baker School District 5J) Baker School District is seeing an increased spread of illness across Baker County and a resulting spike in absenteeism at their schools. They are working closely with the Baker County Health Department and are committed to keeping schools open as long as they have the staffing to do so. However, a decision has been made to pause auxiliary/after-school programming temporarily at this time (list below) – Athletics are not currently affected.
Top Baker County Health Department recommendations are to:
Focus on hand washing, sanitizing, and cleaning
Continue to offer masks and sanitizer at entrances
Follow symptoms-based exclusion guidelines and monitor absenteeism
Encourage vaccination
These are all protocols the school district has continued from the pandemic.
The Health Department can provide vaccinations by appointment to staff and students in Baker County through the School-Based Health Center at BHS. Anyone in the community can also receive a vaccination by appointment at the main Health Department location at 2200 4th Street by calling 541-523-8211, or by visiting a pharmacy in town (Albertsons or Rite Aid).
Please review the list below to see all programs that are being affected starting today:
After School Program at BELC (will pick up January 3)
Brooklyn Bulldog Club (new session sign-ups will be coming out in the future)
Crossroads ArtSpeak with Brooklyn and South Baker students (new session sign-ups will be coming for mid-January)
Chess for Success (will pick up January 3)
STEM Club at South Baker on Tuesdays
STEM Club at OSU Extension on Friday (next session will be January 13, a make-up session in April may happen)
All Friday Programs that were scheduled for Friday, December 16 (Holiday Truffles with BTI Culinary and Milk Exploration Class)
