Supts eNews - Aug. 27, 2021

 

In this edition ...

  • Board meeting review: COVID safety, testing protocols and air quality guidelines
  • Check your inbox: COVID testing consent forms
  • Imai Elementary Renaming Ceremony
  • Parent University: Mental Health: Care and Support
 
Board meeting review: COVID safety, testing protocols and air quality guidelines

The Board of Trustees held a special meeting yesterday to discuss two important topics; 1.) COVID safety and testing protocols and 2.) Air quality guidelines.

Here is the latest:

School COVID safety plans: Our schools continue to refine their COVID safety protocols. In addition to the District safety measures, schools have specific, detailed protocols. Click here for school COVID safety plans.

Meal safety: In response to parent feedback, schools are tweaking lunch procedures. Changes include limiting mask-off eating time to under 15 minutes for students, and spreading out the lunch periods to reduce the numbers of students potentially interacting. MVWSD is also ordering more picnic tables. These measures are in addition to social distancing and eating outside as much as possible (depending on the campus configuration).

COVID testing: Regular, on-campus COVID testing for students and staff members is starting the week of Sept. 7. This program will test students weekly as a protective measure, in addition to providing the required testing on campus for students who have been exposed to a positive case. Please complete your consent form this weekend (Sent in a separate email). See below for testing details.

Absences for quarantined students: MVWSD will explore ways, within state parameters, to make attendance rules more flexible to aid families with students in quarantine. Additionally, MVWSD will develop recommendations for how schools can provide missed work to absent students without overburdening teachers.

Air quality: The Board provided input on District guidelines for times of poor air quality. District staff will gather additional input from parents to inform actions at specific AQI levels, and bring a plan to the Board for consideration in early September. MVWSD continues to monitor the air quality index (AQI) using EPA’s AirNow.gov. For more information, click here.

HEPA filters in every classroom: MVWSD is purchasing HEPA filters for every classroom. These should be delivered to rooms in the next two weeks. These filters will be an additional layer of protection to help clean the air when wildfire smoke is bad. This is in addition to our schools’ updated HVAC systems that have highly effective 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. Our HVAC systems’ MERV-13 filters will remove 90% of smoke particulate, but not all of smoke odor.

 
COVID testing consent form in your inbox

Our District is partnering with Concentric for simple, pooled COVID-19 testing for students weekly and rapid COVID antigen tests for staff members.

We need your help! The more students who participate in the program, the more effective it will be. We are requesting each student participate in testing because:

* Participation helps safeguard the wellbeing of our entire school community, as well as give you information to help you keep your loved ones healthy.

* Students who participate may have a modified quarantine and continue to attend school (if requirements are met) if there is a positive test result in the pool - thus reducing time out of school and missed instruction.

By Wednesday, Sept. 1, please complete the consent form sent to your email. You’ll receive the email by Aug. 28.

Testing will begin the week of Sept. 7. For specifics about the program, please view https://www.mvwsd.org/COVIDtesting.

Imai Elementary Renaming Ceremony

imai renamingAmy Imai Elementary has officially changed its name! On Aug. 19, we celebrated virtually with a video commemorating the occasion. Amy Imai (1930-2013) was a beloved community member and an active volunteer in our schools. She spent her early childhood in Mountain View and was relocated to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming with her family during World War II.

To see how Amy Imai has impacted our community, watch the School Renaming Ceremony Video (Spanish subtitles available).

To learn more about the inclusive process with students, staff and parents that led to the name change, click here.

Parent University: Mental Health: Care and Support

Parent U graphicDate: September 1, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.
Registration Link: mvw.sd/pu090121

Join us to learn about mental health care and support. We will share a wide range of information from basic wellness to seeking mental health treatment. Presenters include representatives from MVWSD, Santa Clara County Behavioral Health, and local agencies or organizations.

To submit questions prior to the event, please click here. We will do our best to address your question during the session.

 
Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.