Return to School Protocol
Rather than using the Covid-19 reporting Google Form to let your school know about positive cases or exposures, we ask that you now please communicate any information or questions about a child's symptoms and return to school, directly to your school nurse. The school nurse will provide you with any additional information that you need and answer any questions that you have. Other information on Covid-19 guidance can be found HERE.All students and staff are required to notify the school nurse and stay or report home when they develop symptoms of Covid-19. Students will need to provide a negative test (at-home test kits accepted) to return to school.
Returning to School After A Positive Case
In order to return after a positive case, the following must be submitted to the school nurse prior to the first day back regardless of vaccination status.
- • The health office requests a copy of the positive PCR test (if you have it).
- • A doctor’s note is required stating clearance for full participation in Physical Education. NS Student Clearance for Physical Education Your child may return to school without this form completed, but they will not be able to participate in PE/recess until it is on file.
- • Your child may exit isolation on if they meet the following criteria:
- • If at the end fever-reducing of Day 5, your child has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND
- • Their symptoms are improving AND
- • Your child will be able to tolerate wearing a mask during the school day if improving symptoms are present
- • Please know that when your child is no longer on isolation, he is required to wear a mask from days 6-10 while in school.
It is strongly recommended (but not required) that students wear a mask for 10 days after exposure. Additionally, it is recommended (but not required) that exposed individuals get tested five days after exposure, regardless of vaccination status. Please remember to report a positive COVID-19 test directly to your school nurse. We have been fortunate to have experienced a significant decline in positive cases reported to our school in the past few weeks. Thank you to our amazing learning community for their ongoing support of our efforts to provide all of our programs in person throughout this year despite some significant challenges. We are looking forward to our continued success in this next phase of our return to normal. Return to School After Symptoms Present
The District will now accept At-Home Covid Test Kit results when a test is needed to return to school. When submitting an At-Home Test Kit result to your school nurse, please use the attestation found HERE.
Communication
Consistent with SED guidelines, attestations, temperature checks and health screening will no longer be required.However, all students and staff are required to notify the school nurse and stay or report home when they develop symptoms of Covid-19.
Safety and School Protocols
• The district will suspend our district-imposed mask mandate as of March 2, 2022. By suspending ours it will allow us to revert to our own mandate in the event that the number of cases exploded, or some other circumstance required us to.• We will now adopt a mask optional approach that will allow students and adults to choose whether to wear a protective mask. We remind those parents that the best mask to rely upon is an N95 mask or a KN95 mask. You should be able to obtain theses masks at https://shop.projectn95.org/all.
• We will continue social distancing as we have this year whenever possible.
• We also remind everyone that a useful lesson we have learned from this pandemic has been the utility of enhanced hygiene, and we encourage everyone to apply those lessons now. It is now even more important for individuals to monitor their own health and stay home if they are sick for any reason.
• Consistent with SED guidelines, attestations, temperature checks and health screening will no longer be required. (Already on page) .
• However, all students and staff are required to notify the school nurse and stay or report home when they develop symptoms of Covid-19.
• We will follow the medical guidance offered to us by our district physician, nursing staff, and the New York State Department of Health. This could result in some increased isolation/quarantine procedures because those without a mask are subject to different rules.
• Parents and staff should review this attachment from the CDC that offers some additional information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html
Masks
- • We will now adopt a mask optional approach that will allow students and adults to choose whether to wear a protective mask.
- • We remind those parents that the best mask to rely upon is an N95 mask or a KN95 mask. You should be able to obtain theses masks at https://shop.projectn95.org/all
- • There will be an expectation of civility in all interactions. Mask-bullying (in either direction) will not be accepted, and educational efforts will be made to eliminate it.
- • Parents are asked to instruct their child on whether they are to wear a mask or not, with the understanding that teachers in the classroom cannot monitor this on a moment-to-moment basis. We will remind children that they should follow their parents’ directive on the wearing of a mask.
- • Masks will not be required outdoors, including Physical Education
- • Every opportunity to utilize outdoor spaces will be taken advantage of
- • Masks are no longer required in schools or on school buses except for students and staff returning from isolation after testing positive. Those individuals are required to wear a well-fitting mask on days 6-10 while in school.
NYSDOH recommends (but does not require) students and staff wear masks when:
- • They feel more comfortable wearing a mask for personal reasons.
- • They are known to have been exposed to COVID-19 in any setting within the previous 10 days. Masking, regardless of vaccination status, is strongly recommended (but not required) for 10 days after a known exposure.
- • They are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised and have discussed the need to mask with their healthcare provider(s).
Social Distancing
- • We will maximize our efforts to improve ventilation in all our buildings, including large meeting spaces.
- • All classrooms, student occupied areas and offices will be thoroughly ventilated with outdoor air by opening windows when students occupy the room.
- • In addition, HEPA filters are located in each classroom, student occupied area and office and will run 24 hours a day so that circulated air is filtered.
Ventilation and Filtration
- • All classrooms, student occupied areas and offices will be thoroughly ventilated with outdoor air by opening windows when students occupy the room.
- • In addition, HEPA filters are located in each classroom, student occupied area and office and will run 24 hours a day so that circulated air is filtered.
Daily Cleaning of Desks and Points of Contact
- • In addition, HEPA filters are located in each classroom, student occupied area and office and will run 24 hours a day so that circulated air is filtered.
- • Daily Cleaning of Desks and Points of Contact
- Student desks and points of contact will be cleaned thoroughly on a daily basis.
- Classrooms of diagnosed of ill students will be targeted for deep cleaning and disinfection.
Handwashing and Proper Hygiene
• We also remind everyone that a useful lesson we have learned from this pandemic has been the utility of enhanced hygiene, and we encourage everyone to apply those lessons now. It is now even more important for individuals to monitor their own health and stay home if they are sick for any reason.• Handwashing is a basic but primary way to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
• Students and staff will be reminded of proper handwashing protocols and available locations of hand sanitizer and sinks with soap.
• All staff and students will be reminded of proper respiratory hygiene