Dear Parents and Staff Members,
Since the start of the pandemic, we have closely monitored COVID cases in our schools and community with student and staff safety being our top priority. While safety has always been priority number 1, our secondary goal was to provide the best learning experience for all of our students. We have been able to continue in-person learning during COVID by employing a layered method using strategies such as masking, upgraded filtration, and enhanced sanitization.
Our commitment, as we continue to respond to COVID, is to follow the data closely and adjust our approach as needed. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of COVID cases in our schools since we returned from spring break (Dashboards are here). In addition to a steady increase in positive pools, there has been an increase in the number of reported positive cases for students and staff, as well as our first known instance of community spread within one classroom.
Armed with this information, now is the time for us to adjust our safety measures in order to prevent further transmission. Starting tomorrow, indoor masking will be required for all students and staff. Outdoor masking will remain optional for now. Please be sure to send your child to school in a well-fitting, high quality mask. Mandatory indoor masking will continue through May 13, and possibly longer, depending on case numbers.
Please know that out of an abundance of caution, all students in the affected grade level were immediately rapid-tested for COVID today, in addition to the pooled test samples collected during regular weekly testing. Positive students are sent home immediately.
Please help us keep students and staff members safe by doing this at home:
If symptoms develop, STAY HOME, test for COVID immediately (regardless of vaccination status) and notify your school of the results. Continue to monitor for symptoms and follow recommended interventions (distancing, masking, handwashing) for a full 10 days after exposure.
If you believe that you or members of your household were exposed to COVID or are sick, test immediately.
Use at at-home COVID test; or
Make an appointment on the Public Health Department website at sccfreetest.org
If your student tests positive for COVID-19 at any time, you must notify the school of the result and follow the quarantine guidelines below for “positive.”
For more information, and quarantine and testing flowcharts, please see https://www.mvwsd.org/returntolearn.
We appreciate your patience and understanding with the update to our procedures as we work to keep our community as safe and healthy as possible.
Respectfully,
Dr. Ayindé Rudolph, Ed.D.
Superintendent
As a reminder, here are the guidelines for Close Contact to a positive case at school
If … ?
You have received an email from MVWSD that you/your child as a Close Contact to a positive case at school
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Testing Requirements
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Quarantine Requirement
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Consented to Pooled Testing (regardless of vaccination status)
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Test at school on/after Day 5 as part of regular pooled testing.
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No quarantine (if no symptoms). May remain at school and attend extracurriculars. Strongly recommend wearing a mask for 10 days after exposure.
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Not Consented to Pooled Testing (regardless of vaccination status)
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Must leave campus, and test off site immediately.
Parents are required to submit Day 1 and Day 5 test results (taken on or after Day 5).
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No return until Day 1 negative test result is submitted to school. After Day 5, individual may continue coming to campus starting when a negative Day 5 test result is received by school and remains asymptomatic. No return until after Day 10 for those not testing. Individual must wear a face mask around others for 10 days after exposure.
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As a reminder, here are the guidelines for a Positive case
Test result is … ?
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Testing Requirements
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Quarantine Requirement
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Positive
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(Optional) At-home rapid antigen test - provided by the parent - on or after Day 5
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* Isolate immediately at home for at least 5 days.
* Individual may return to the campus on day 6 if symptoms are not present or are resolving, AND with a negative test submitted to your school.
* If not testing, individual may return to campus after day 10 AND at least 24 hours after any fever resolves and other symptoms improve.
* Individual must wear face masks around others (not at home) for a total of 10 days after the positive test, especially in indoor settings.
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