The health and safety of our students, staff and families is of utmost importance. We will continue to be vigilant to limit the transmission of COVID-19.
2022-23 School Year COVID Protocols
Again, this year will be different from the last two pandemic years. As we are learning to live with COVID, guidance from Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health has changed as well. MVWSD’s response for the 2022-23 school year is based on this guidance and our desire to present to our families and staff members the resources and information needed to decrease COVID’s impact on our health and well-being.
COVID is still present in our community. With your support, MVWSD will work to manage this disease in sustainable and adaptive ways while continuing to provide resources to support healthy learning environments.
What to do if you/your student is exposed or positive for COVID
Close contact (student) (Spanish)
Positive student (Spanish)
Close contact (staff)
Positive staff
Current COVID protocols are:
* Masking is now recommended but is not required for students, staff (effective Aug. 18, 2022). Masking is recommended but is not required for visitors and volunteers.
* Volunteers and visitors are not required to show proof of vaccination to be on school grounds or at school activities/trips. (Effective April 17, 2023)
* After school PTA / School activities are permitted on campus.
* Field trips are permitted
* Our mitigation strategies such as hand washing/ sanitizing, cleaning protocols and high-quality air filtration will continue. Sick individuals who test positive or are symptomatic should mask and be isolated.
* Specialized instrument masks were distributed for optional use by students playing wind instruments.
* No on-campus, pooled testing program for students and staff this year. The state is no longer supporting/recommending this program for all California schools. Instead, students will bring home rapid antigen tests for use before returning from school breaks. Without in-school testing, MVWSD’s online Pooled Testing COVID Case Dashboard will not be available.
* MURs will be open for meal distribution to students. Outdoor seating areas will be maximized for eating times. Physical distancing during lunch is not required (but is good practice), and could be reinstated as a requirement by the principal in the case of high transmission rates.
* Parents and children who are not in class may be on campus inside the fences until the bell rings at the start of the day, and can return to campus inside the fences after the dismissal bell rings.
COVID Tests
Parents are no longer required to submit COVID test results in order for students to return to school after their positive case. As a result of infrequent and self-reported case data, the online MVWSD COVID Case Dashboard will not be available this year. However, detailed, county-wide data is available here.
As supplies allow, MVWSD will provide at-home rapid tests to families to administer before returning to school after breaks throughout the school year. We strongly encourage families who have either been traveling or are concerned about a potential exposure to get tested as a preventative measure.
Click here to learn more about how and when and where to get tested.
Mitigation strategies
* Cleaning: Daily cleaning and sanitizing protocols with an emphasis on high-traffic areas will continue.
* Our schools’ HVAC systems have MERV-13 filters, which is the highest-grade filter available for our units, or air purifiers with filtration ratings at least as high as the MERV-13. Additionally dampers on all of our units are maximized to take in as much outside air as possible. Portable HEPA filters are in every classroom and office area. Our District works with mechanical engineers who advise us on settings and upgrades.
Music
Specialized instrument masks are optional. Families will be provided one set of these items to use for the school year. Students in choir programs or singing in elementary music classes may be asked to wear their regular, school-day mask. Staff is encouraged to hold these classes outside when possible.
Mask recommendations
Public health officials recommend upgraded masks that include double masking (surgical mask + cloth mask), fitted medical masks (surgical masks) and respirator masks (N95s, KN95s or KF94s). Please see “Choosing Your Mask” here.
Vaccinations
MVWSD is strongly encouraging all eligible individuals to get vaccinated (and boosted as applicable). They are free and convenient. Please see: covid19.sccgov.org/covid-19-vaccine-information
Close contact notifications
Parents of students and staff members who are identified as a close contact at school to a positive case will be notified. A close contact is someone who has been within 0-6 feet of the positive case for more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period indoors during the two-day period prior to the start of symptoms (or two days before the positive COVID-19 specimen collection date). Typically, these are the children in the positive case's classroom, in addition to any individuals who have been in small groups with the positive case.
If you do not receive a letter, you have not been identified as a close contact of a positive individual during their infectious period. Due to self-reported positive case data from families and the numbers of positive cases at any given time, MVWSD will employ the “group contact tracing” notification method for close contacts. It’s possible that entire grade levels or schools would receive a close contact notification at one time.
COVID Symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
(Source: CDC)
Archived communications
Masking Update, May 13, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Masking Update, April 26, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Masks and Protocols Updates, March 24, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Mask Update, Mar. 11, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Mask Update, Feb. 28, 2022 -
Spanish/español
COVID Update, Jan. 14, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
COVID Update, Jan. 13, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
COVID Update, Jan 10, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
Changes in Pooled Testing Notification - Jan. 5 (
en español)
Student At-Home COVID tests - Jan. 5 (
en español)
Return to School: COVID Safety- Jan. 1 (
en español)
COVID-19
MVWSD has a variety of educational resources and protocols to help keep students and staff members safe from the transmission of COVID-19.
How you can protect yourself from COVID
Our own MVWSD school nurses give important tips in this video series. Please review and practice with your family.
Handwashing video
(
Handwashing video Spanish)
Face masks and social distancing video
(
Face masks video Spanish)
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19
(
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 Spanish)