Announcements | HCTC

Healthy at HCTC

Announcements

Dear HCTC Students, 

 

With COVID-19 positive rates climbing in our area at a rapid pace, I wanted to touch base with our students and remind you of a few protocols to help keep everyone safe. 

  1. Stay Home if You Are Sick or if Someone in Your Household is Sick with COVID-like symptoms.  Notify your instructors and our HCTC Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs at vickie.combs@kctcs.edu and complete your work remotely.
  2. Stay Home if You or a Family Member has taken a COVID test, and the results are still pending. Notify your instructors and our Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs at vickie.combs@kctcs.edu and complete your work remotely.  Do not return until you have a negative test and no symptoms and are cleared to return to campus by Ms. Combs.
  3. If you have been exposed to COVID, stay home. Notify your instructors and our Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs at vickie.combs@kctcs.edu and complete your work remotely.  Do not return to campus until you have been cleared to return by Ms. Combs.  As per the Kentucky Department for Public Health, we typically follow a 10-day quarantine guideline for those who are directly exposed to someone who was positive with COVID.
  4. If you have tested positive for COVID, stay home. Notify your instructors and our Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs at vickie.combs@kctcs.edu and complete your work remotely.  Do not return to campus until you have been cleared to return by Ms. Combs.  As per the Kentucky Department for Public Health, we typically follow a 10-day quarantine guideline for those who test positive for COVID.
  5. Wash Your Hands Frequently.
  6. Wear Your Mask When in Public and on Campus
  7. Stay Six Feet Social Distance ( 3 feet is permissible in classroom setting) 

Important Notes

  1. HCTC is regularly cleaning all areas on campuses and providing additional sanitization to each room utilized by students and all high traffic areas nightly.
  2. If you are exposed to a positive case in one of your classes, you will be notified via email by either the Healthy at Work Officer or myself.
  3. If you are exposed to someone in class who has been directly exposed to a person who is COVID positive, you will be notified via email by either the Healthy at Work Officer or myself. 
     
    Thank you all for keeping each other safe! I am very pleased with how our students have been communicating with their instructors. Please reach out if you have any questions.  Keep up the good work, and we will get through this together. We are #HCTCStrong, #HCTCProud.  

Jennifer Lindon, Ph.D.
President/CEO

The HCTC Fall 2021 semester begins August 16, 2021, with a variety of in-person, online, and hybrid-type courses available. All campuses, offices, classes, and labs are open for students. Please attend class as noted on your HCTC Class Schedule. If you are unsure of the mode of your course delivery, please contact the instructor listed on your schedule. At HCTC, we are committed to providing you with a safe and healthy learning environment. Last year, HCTC implemented effective COVID protocols that kept our students and employees as safe as possible, and we were able to continue teaching and learning both in-person and online. We are committed to continuing to creatively serve you and prepare you academically for your future. Vickie Combs will be serving as the HCTC Healthy at Work Coordinator this academic year. Both she and I will work together with faculty, staff, and students when COVID exposures in offices, classrooms, and labs occur. We will also work closely with KCTCS, the local health departments, and our HCTC Pandemic Coordinator, Lauren Bates, to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information out to you as situations develop.

See below for HCTC’s current COVID regulations and guidance as of August 13, 2021. 

  1. Face masks or face coverings are required effective August 6, 2021, when indoors on all HCTC campuses. This rule is for visitors, students, faculty, and staff and is in place at all Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges until further notice.
  2. All campuses, labs, classrooms, and offices are open for students for the fall semester.
  3. Vaccinations are encouraged but NOT required by KCTCS or HCTC. Students, faculty, and staff may be required to obtain a vaccination if they are working in or performing a clinical in a location that requires the vaccine.
  4. KCTCS personnel cannot require proof of vaccination from a student or another employee. However, the President and or the Healthy at Work Officer may request vaccination status when determining a course of action in various COVID situations.
  5. Capacity restrictions are NOT currently required. However, we encourage social distancing as much as practical, typically 3 to 6 feet.
  6. We have stations at each building’s main entrance with masks, hand sanitizer, and temperature scanners available for use.
  7. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to maintain proper hand sanitization and refrain from shaking hands.
  8. Plexi-glass is not required but may be utilized as precautionary in any office area, classroom, or lab.
  9. Regular sanitization of classrooms, labs, etc. will be completed. Areas, where students will be present, will be cleaned daily. Misters will be utilized whenever there is a COVID exposure or COVID positive.
  10. Faculty, staff, and students are asked to please stay home when sick or exhibiting any COVID-like symptoms (cough, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, i.e.) and to contact the appropriate supervisor and or instructor as soon as possible and stay home until cleared by the Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs.
  11. Faculty, staff, and students are required to report any COVID-19 exposures or COVID positive cases to the HCTC Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs, as soon as possible and wait for further instructions and to be cleared to return before coming back on campus.  

If you have a question, please reach out to Vickie Combs, HCTC Healthy at Work Officer at Vickie.Combs@kctcs.edu or me. Please note that all HCTC COVID guidelines are subject to change so monitor your email, Facebook, and the web frequently. We have a COVID link at the top of our HCTC web page that is currently being updated before the fall term begins at hazard.kctcs.edu. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on campus! 

Jennifer Lindon, Ph.D.
President/CEO

 

Welcome to the Fall 2021 Semester! 

I am so pleased to see faculty, staff, and students back on campus! The HCTC Fall 2021 semester is proceeding as planned with a variety of in-person, online, and hybrid-type courses available. At HCTC, we are committed to providing you with a safe and healthy learning environment. Last year, HCTC implemented effective COVID protocols that kept our students and employees as safe as possible, and we were able to continue teaching and learning both in-person and online. We are committed to creatively serve you and prepare you academically for your future .  Vickie Combs will be serving as the HCTC Healthy at Work Coordinator this academic year.  Both she and I will work together with faculty, staff, and students when COVID exposures in offices, classrooms and labs occur. We will also work closely with KCTCS, the local health departments, and our HCTC Pandemic Coordinator, Lauren Bates, to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information out to you as situations develop. Many of our technical and general education faculty and students were back to in-person last year, and many of our staff have continued to work on and off on campuses throughout the pandemic. This is testimony to the fact that we can continue to provide education and services as safely and effectively as possible. 

See below for HCTC’s current COVID regulations and guidance as of August 5, 2021. 

  1. Face masks or face coverings are required effective August 6, 2021 when indoors on all HCTC campuses.  This rule is for visitors, students, faculty, and staff and is in place at all Kentucky Community and Technical Colleges until further notice.
  2. Vaccinations are encouraged but NOT required by KCTCS or HCTC. Students, faculty, and staff may be required to obtain a vaccination if they are working in or performing a clinical in a location that requires the vaccine.
  3. KCTCS personnel cannot require proof of vaccination from a student or another employee.  However, the President and or the Healthy at Work Officer may request vaccination status when determining course of action in various COVID situations.  You ARE NOT required to disclose vaccination status to HCTC.
  4. Capacity restrictions are NOT currently required. However, we encourage social distancing as much as practical, typically 3 to 6 feet.
  5. We have stations at each building’s main entrance with masks, hand sanitizer, and temperature scanners available for use.
  6. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to maintain proper hand sanitization and refrain from shaking hands.
  7. Plexi-glass is not required but may be utilized as precautionary in any office area, classroom, or lab.
  8. Regular sanitization of classrooms, labs, etc. will be completed. Areas where students will be present will be cleaned daily. Misters will be utilized whenever there is a COVID exposure or COVID positive.
  9. Faculty, staff, and students are asked to please stay home when sick or exhibiting any COVID-like symptoms (cough, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, i.e.)  and to contact the appropriate supervisor and or instructor as soon as possible and stay home until cleared by the Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs.
  10. Faculty, staff, and students are required to report any COVID-19 exposures or COVID positive cases to the HCTC Healthy at Work Officer, Vickie Combs, as soon as possible and wait for further instructions and to be cleared to return before coming back on campus. 
     

If you have a question, please reach out to Vickie Combs, HCTC Healthy at Work Officer at Vickie.Combs@kctcs.edu or me. Please note that all HCTC COVID guidelines are subject to change so monitor your email, Facebook, and the web frequently. We have a COVID link at the top of our HCTC web page that is currently being updated before the fall term begins at hazard. kctcs.edu. Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on campus! 

 

 

Jennifer Lindon, Ph.D.
President/CEO

 

Last week, in a statement responding to the CDC guidance around fully vaccinated people and masks, Governor Beshear stated that Kentucky would immediately follow that guidance.  On May 14, the Governor posted an amended an Executive Order to clarify how Kentucky’s mask mandate will be lifted.  The amendment balances the CDC guidelines with public safety and the need and hope that more Kentuckians will soon become vaccinated.  This hope is rooted in expanded access to the vaccine now available to pre-teens and teens. 

 

I encourage all employees who are not currently vaccinated to seek an appointment for vaccination immediately and encourage all eligible family members do so.  Additionally, I ask that all employees continue to use common-sense measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and all infectious diseases.  Continue to observe good hygiene: wash your hands, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and don’t come to work if you are feeling ill.  That said, effective immediately, please note the following changes to our work protocols

Fully vaccinated employees, students, and visitors are no longer required to wear masks in any area except as stated in the Governor’s amended order.  The order permits fully vaccinated individuals to go maskless immediately, while those who have not yet obtained a vaccine should continue to wear masks until June 11.  
 

Please be kind to your co-workers and be honest.  If you are not vaccinated, wear your mask until you are.  If you have opted out of the vaccine process, please wear your mask until the pandemic subsides.  In all cases, however, you will not be responsible for wearing a mask after June 11 (unless something changes June 11 is the target date for all mask restrictions to be lifted). 
 

For those who choose to continue to wear a mask, it is important to honor that choice and to provide those employees, students, or visitors the courtesy of respect, just as they should respect others who are now permitted to go maskless if they choose. 
 

Additionally, HCTC will continue to abide by social distancing guidelines of 3 feet and we are still under capacity restrictions until after June 11. Continue to refrain from shaking hands and activities that require close proximity.  Plexi-glass will remain in all current areas, until otherwise noted.  Daily online check-ins before coming to work are still required. 
 

Follow CDC guidelines to stay safe and to keep others safe.  You can find them here:  When You’ve Been Fully Vaccinated | CDC  and https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.htm/ 

 

FALL 2020 Class Schedule Update from Dr. Jennifer Lindon, HCTC President

 

With the new restrictions and recommendations announced by Governor Beshear this week, the majority of HCTC face-to-face classes will wrap up today, Friday, November 20. If students have any questions about their class schedule, they should reach out to their instructor or their appropriate academic dean. All face-to-face student classes and activities will cease as of Thanksgiving Break. All remaining exams and final exams will be conducted online. There are a few exceptions, such as very limited technical labs, clinicals, and some allied health program testing 

Please remember to continue to follow all HCTC COVID protocol and guidelines if you do come on campus or are in clinical.  Stay home and contact your instructor or Dr. Paul Currie, HCTC Healthy at Work Officer at Paul.Currie@kctcs.edu if you begin to feel ill.

HCTC is OPEN and still serving students up through December 18 when we break for the Christmas holiday. We do have limited staffing on campuses but also have faculty and staff working remotely at home and continuing to answer phone calls and emails. Our spring semester begins January 11, and we have 12 and 8-week classes also.  We have a wide variety of courses available, including online and the HCTC Flex model.  I encourage you to contact your advisor to register for Spring classes.  You may also attend our safe DRIVE THRU REGISTRATION, November 30, and Dec. 1 from 11 AM to 3 PM at the Hazard Campus and Dec. 2 and 3 at Lees Campus in Jackson from 11 AM to 3 PM.  You get to stay in your car, and we help you obtain the classes you need to begin or continue your career pathway. 

Thank you for your flexibility and understanding. No one could foresee all the changes you have endured during this pandemic, and I appreciate your commitment to your education. I wish you good health and look forward to seeing you soon. 

 

 

Hello HCTC Students, 

Thank you for choosing HCTC!  I was able to speak with many of you last week in your classes.  I want to thank everyone for complying with HCTC's COVID Safety Guidelines and for everyone's open and honest communication.  Keep up the good work! .  If we all continue to work together to keep each other safe, we will have a successful semester and keep working toward our educational goals!  I have a few reminders below. 

First the Basics....

1) Wear a mask at all times when on campus

2) Practice good hand hygiene (frequent washing with soap and water and sanitizer) 

3) Stay home if you are sick. (Notify your instructor of any symptoms or possible exposures and STAY HOME until you receive additional guidance from us). Be sure to contact your healthcare provider as well, especially if you have a fever. 

4) Keep your distance from others (Six Feet)

MORE IMPORTANT DETAILS ...PLEASE READ AS A FEW THINGS HAVE CHANGED 

1) Masks are REQUIRED on all campuses and in all classrooms at all times.  If you do not have a mask, we will provide one for you. If you cannot wear a mask due to health reasons, you may request an accommodation to wear a face shield (with social distancing) from our Disabilities Service Coordinator, Julie Caudill-Clark at jcaudill0129@kctcs.edu. However, IF you receive an accommodation to wear a mask in the classroom., a MASK  is STILL REQUIRED in common areas, such as bathrooms, lobby, and hallways. 

2) Instructor do have permission to wear a shield or be behind a shield ONLY when teaching. They must remain six feet away during instruction if they are wearing only a shield. 

3) Classrooms and labs have been limited to the number we will allow in the room due to social distancing guidelines. Outside of each classroom and or lab, the capacity of the room is noted.  In some cases, we have moved classes to larger classrooms.

4) Students are required to self-screen/self-monitor themselves daily.   Students are REQUIRED to stay home if they have a fever of 100.4 or higher, have been tested and are COVID-19 positive, or have been contacted by the health department to quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure. If you meet any of the mentioned categories and are required to stay home/quarantine, please notify your instructors immediately, as well as the HCTC Healthy at Work Officer, Dr. Paul Currie at paul.currie@kctcs.edu and or/myself.  We will consult with the local health department and give you guidance regarding when you can return to HCTC.  The current protocol for a return is 10 days from the positive test and symptom free without the use of medications for 24-hours. This is the current CDC and local health department protocol. Keep in mind that this guideline can change and that is why it is important to work with your instructors and the Healthy at Work Officer because we have the most current information to keep everyone as safe as possible.  To return to campus if you have been out due to a  COVID-19 positive or  COVID symptoms, you must have a certificate to return to campus form certified by the Health at Work Officer, Dr. Paull Currie.  You are not allowed back in an in-person class until you have this form.  You should also contact Julie Caudill-Clark at jcaudill0129@kctcs.edu, as you may qualify for special accommodations for your classes through the Disability Services Office. 

5) If you are exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, stay home and contact your healthcare provider immediately.  Please work with your healthcare provider and the local health department to determine your level of exposure and need for testing and or quarantining.  Please also contact your instructors immediately as well as Dr. Currie, Healthy at Work Officer at paul.currie@kctcs.edu. We will also work with you to determine your protocol to follow regarding class attendance, self-monitoring, etc. Your level of exposure and need to quarantine depends on many factors including if you had on a mask, how long you were exposed, how close you ere, etc. That is why it is important to work with your healthcare provider, health department, and the college. 

6)  Students are required to monitor themselves daily for COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, shortness of breath,  chills, congestion, runny nose, headache, new loss of taste or smell, or muscle pain).  If you are feeling sick, stay home and contact your healthcare provide, as well as  your instructors in order to work with them to continue your assignments at home until you can return. If you begin to run a fever when on campus or have a fever (100.4 or higher) when you check your temperature on campus, you will be required to leave campus immediately. 

7)  To ensure your safety, all HCTC employees go through an online health screening before they are allowed to come to campus each day. 

8) Vending will be open on campuses but please practice safe hand hygiene before and after your use of the machines. We will have signs posted with reminders. Microwaves and Refrigerators are also now available for use in certain area, as long as you practice proper hand sanitizing before and after use.  

9) For their safety and ours, please refrain from bringing children on campus.  

10) The water fountains are closed but we do have refillable water stations and signage directing you to them. Again, please practice safe hygiene before and after use.  Also, we will have bottled water available for students in some of our in-person programs that require the student to be on campus for a lengthy period of time. 

11) Social distancing (six feet apart) must be adhered to at all times unless you are in a class which requires work on projects and assignments where the six feet apart rule is not possible.  You will be required to sign a consent form if you are in a class that requires this stating that you understand there is some risk.  This would be for hands-on classes like electrical, automotive, nursing, etc.

14) To return to campus if you have been out due to a COVID-19 positive or COVID symptoms, you must have a certificate to return to campus form certified by the Health at Work Officer, Dr. Paull Currie.  You are not allowed back in an in-person class until you have this form. 

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.  Take care and stay safe.  WE can do this! 

Hello HCTC Students,

Thank you for choosing HCTC!  For many of you, classes begin tomorrow either in-person or remote. Safety is of utmost importance on all HCTC campuses.  Below are a few reminders and updates. 

1) Masks are REQUIRED on all campuses and in all classrooms at all times.  If you do not have a mask, we will provide one for you. If you cannot wear a mask due to health reasons, you may request an accommodation to wear a face shield form our Disabilities Service Coordinator, Julie Caudill-Clark at jcaudill0129@kctcs.edu. She will get you the appropriate paperwork to be completed. Please do this as soon as possible. 

2) Plexiglass and signage are up in many areas to keep you safe. 

3) Classrooms and labs have been limited to the number we will allow in the room due to social distancing guidelines. Outside of each classroom and or lab, the capacity of the room is noted.  In some cases, we have moved classes to larger classrooms.

3) Students are required to maintain social distancing in all classrooms and labs (six feet apart). 

4) Students are required to self-screen/self-monitor themselves daily.   Students are REQUIRED to stay home if they have a fever of 100.4 or higher, have been tested and are COVID-19 positive, or have been contacted by the health department to quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure. If you meet any of the mentioned categories and are required to stay home/quarantine, please notify your instructors immediately, as well as the HCTC Healthy at Work Officer, Dr. Paul Currie at paul.currie@kctcs.edu and or/myself.  We will consult with the local health department and give you guidance regarding when you can return to HCTC.  You should also contact Julie Caudill-Clark at jcaudill0129@kctcs.edu, as you may qualify for special accommodations for your classes through the Disability Services Office. 

5) If you are exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, stay home and contact your healthcare provider immediately.  Please work with your healthcare provider and the local health department to determine your level of exposure and need for testing and or quarantining.  Please also contact your instructors immediately as well as Dr. Currie, Healthy at Work Officer at paul.currie@kctcs.edu. We will also work with you to determine your protocol to follow regarding class attendance, self-monitoring, etc. Your level of exposure and need to quarantine depends on many factors including if you had on a mask, how long you were exposed, how close you ere, etc. That is why it is important to work with your healthcare provider, health department, and the college. 

6)  Students are required to monitor themselves daily for COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, shortness of breath,  chills, congestion, runny nose, headache, new loss of taste or smell, or muscle pain).  If you are feeling sick, stay home and contact your instructors to work with them to continue your assignments at home until you can return. If you begin to run a fever when on campus or have a fever (100.4 or higher) when you check your temperature on campus, you will be required to leave campus immediately. 

7)  To ensure your safety, all HCTC employees go through an online health screening before they are allowed to come to campus each day. 

8) All Healthy at HCTC Guidelines can be found in our Healthy at HCTC Welcome Back Plan.  The link for it is below also.  Please familiarize yourself with it. 

9) Vending will be open on campuses but please practice safe hand hygiene before and after your use of the machines. We will have signs posted with reminders. 

10) The fitness centers and lounges are closed due to COVID restrictions. 

11) The water fountains are closed but we do have refillable water stations and signage directing you to them. Again, please practice safe hygiene before and after use.  Also, we will have bottled water available for students in some of our in-person programs that require the student to be on campus for a lengthy period of time. 

 

I understand this is a concerning and uncertain time but we are here to make your experience with us as healthy and safe as possible. We are in in contact with the local health department almost daily to ensure we are adhering to the latest guidelines from the CDC. Please do not hesitate to contact me  if you have questions.  If I am unsure, I will connect you to the appropriate resources to get your questions answered.  

 

Link to Safety Video 

https://hazard.kctcs.edu/healthy-at-hctc/

 

In summary,  here are the four main things to remember. 

 

1) Wear a mask

2) Practice good hand hygiene

3) Stay home if you are sick. 

4) Keep your distance from others. 

 

We will be having a second  Q and A Session Tuesday, August 18 at 4 PM.  Below is the link to join. It is in Microsoft Teams.  You can also join by phone. 

 

 Join Microsoft Teams Meeting 

+1 859-286-5834   United States, Lexington (Toll) 

Conference ID: 527 975 031# 

Local numbers | Reset PIN | Learn more about Teams | Meeting options

Dr. Jennifer Lindon 

Hello HCTC Students, 

I am so happy you have chosen HCTC for your educational needs this fall.  We are still on target to begin classes August 17. While we have a large percentage of our courses online this fall, some of you will be attending in-person classes. Safety is of utmost importance on all HCTC campuses.  Please view the safety video link below.  Also, please note the following rules for ALL HCTC Students. 

 

1) Masks are REQUIRED on all campuses and in all classrooms at all times.  If you do not have a mask, we will provide one for you. If you cannot wear a mask due to health reasons, you may request an accommodation to wear a face shield form our Disabilities Service Coordinator, Julie Caudill-Clark at jcaudill0129@kctcs.edu. She will get you the appropriate paperwork to be completed. Please do this as soon as possible. 

2) Plexiglass and signage are up in many areas to keep you safe. 

3) Classrooms and labs have been limited to the number we will allow in the room due to social distancing guidelines. Outside of each classroom and or lab, the capacity of the room is noted.  In some cases, we have moved classes to larger classrooms.

3) Students are required to maintain social distancing in all classrooms and labs (six feet apart). 

4) Students are required to self-screen/self-monitor themselves daily.   Students are REQUIRED to stay home if they have a fever of 100.4 or higher or have been contacted by the health department to quarantine due to exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.  

5)  Students are required to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, shortness of breath,  chills, congestion, runny nose, headache, new loss of taste or smell, or muscle pain).  If you are feeling sick, please contact your instructor and work with them to continue your assignments at home until you can return. 

6)  To ensure your safety, all HCTC employees go through an online health screening before they are allowed to come to campus each day. 

7) All Healthy at HCTC Guidelines can be found in our Healthy at HCTC Welcome Back Plan.  The link for it is below also.  Please familiarize yourself with it. 

 

I understand this is a concerning and uncertain time but we are here to make your experience with us as healthy and safe as possible. We are in in contact with the local health department almost daily to ensure we are adhering to the latest guidelines from the CDC. Please do not hesitate to contact me  if you have questions.  If I am unsure, I will connect you to the appropriate resources to get your questions answered.

Link to Safety Video 

https://hazard.kctcs.edu/healthy-at-hctc/ 

Link to Healthy at HCTC Welcome Back Plan

Dr. Jennifer Lindon