School News

Covid 19 Mitigation Guidance news

Return To Learn 2022-23

We continue to take the health and safety of our students, staff, and families seriously which is why we’d like to share the following guidance regarding current COVID-19 mitigation strategies. Please be aware, all of the following strategies/practices are current as of July 19, 2022, and are subject to change pending federal, state, and/or local decision-making.

If You Test Positive For COVID-19 You Must Stay Home

Persons Who Test Positive For COVID-19 (applies to both students & staff)

  • Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must remain home for at least 5 full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the date of the day of the positive viral test for asymptomatic persons).
  • Individuals may return to school on day 6 if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.
  • It is highly recommended that individuals wear a mask when around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days.
  • For students who test positive while school is in session, families need to contact their School Nurse.
  • For students who test positive while school is not in session and are participating in school programming or Activities, families need to contact the supervisor of the program (e.g. Adventuretime or Summer School) or Activities Department.
  • For staff who test positive, employees need to contact their supervisor and Kate Johnson.
  • This guidance applies to both unvaccinated and vaccinated individuals.

Reminder: All persons who are experiencing an illness should stay home while they are ill, even if they test negative for COVID-19 or receive an alternative diagnosis.

Isolation
Isolation is used to separate people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 from those without COVID-19. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be around others. At home, anyone sick or infected should separate from others, or wear a well-fitting mask when they need to be around others. People in isolation should stay in a specific “sick room” or area and use a separate bathroom if available.

What to do for isolation

  • Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
  • Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
  • Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
  • Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.
  • Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
  • Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.
  • Wear a well-fitting mask when you need to be around other people.

Daily Practices

Daily Practices

  • Frequent hand washing and/or hand sanitizing.
  • Cough/sneeze etiquette will be reviewed and reminders shared as needed. 
  • Routine cleaning of schools and disinfecting surfaces that are touched often. 
  • Continuing with last year’s COVID-19 protocols regarding air exchange occurring every 15 minutes throughout buildings and classrooms.
  • Both water bottle filling stations and drinking fountains will be available for use.
  • Breakfast will be served either in the classroom or the cafeteria depending on building preference. 
  • Lunch will be served to our students in the cafeteria. To the extent possible, students will be asked to spread out during lunch.


Face Masks

Face Masks
Face masks are optional inside district buildings and while riding on a school bus/van


Monitoring and Reporting Illness

Monitoring and Reporting Illness

  • It is very important for parents and guardians to continue monitoring their child’s health. If your child has a temperature of 100.4 or higher, we ask that you keep your child home, observe for symptoms such as sore throat, rash, vomiting, or diarrhea, and follow up with your healthcare provider. 
  • If your child does not have a temperature, but is feeling ill and the illness prevents your child from participating comfortably in academics/activities, please keep your child home until illness symptoms have passed.
  • Please continue to be aware of the following COVID-19 symptoms:
    • High risk symptoms include a new cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, or a loss of taste or smell.
    • Other symptoms include fever and/or chills, sore throat, headache, body aches, fatigue, runny nose, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.
    • Students with COVID-19 symptoms should contact their healthcare provider for further evaluation.
  • When calling in your child absent from school, please be sure to contact your school’s attendance line leaving your student name, grade, symptoms, temperature, and a number we can reach you if we have further questions. 
  • Please contact your school nurse and report if your child is diagnosed with COVID-19. 
  • You’re welcome to contact your school nurse if you have questions regarding potential exposures outside of school.

Visitors In School

Visitors In School

  • As the COVID-19 vaccine and boosters are currently approved for individuals six months and older, visitors are permitted for Preschool through 12th grades. This means that students, staff, families, and visitors in compliance with school visitor policies and Principal approval are allowed inside our elementary (PreK-5), middle, and high school buildings.
  • Building Principals may limit the number of adult visitors in a classroom, or in an area of the building, at any given time.
  • Adventuretime Before/After School Drop-Off/Pick-Up Procedures: Parents/guardians will be required to walk students into the designated entrance of the facility to sign their student in/out. Families will be asked to social distance from one another while waiting in line to sign their student in/out of programming. Please be aware that only students and staff will be permitted past the designated sign in/out area. When parents arrive to pick up their student, the Adventuretime staff member working at the designated sign-in/out area will call for the student on the walkie talkie and a staff member will bring your student(s) to you at the designated sign-in/out area.


The above information is based on guidance from the CDC, Iowa Department of Public Health, Polk County Health Department, and UCSD legal counsel.