VCS Covid-19 Guidelines for SY 22-23
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Updated COVID-19 Guidelines (August, 2022)
OVERVIEWWe continue to navigate a complex public health context; public health guidelines are now focused on living with and managing COVID-19 and our SY 22/23 policies reflect that approach.
The goal of our COVID-19 guidelines is to help ensure that every child has access to in-person learning while maintaining a safe school environment for all.
Please read carefully below for updated VCS COVID-19 guidelines and protocol to help us reach this collective goal.
DAILY HEALTH SCREENING/VCS DAILY FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES
VCS will not be continuing with the physical health screening cards used last year.
During arrival at each school, we will check-in with families/students to to ensure that there is no illness or exposure in the family. In order for our school communities to be as healthy as possible, it is extremely important that:
- Families do not send their children to school with cold, flu, or COVID-19 symptoms
- Families make school leadership aware if there is a COVID-19 case in a student’s household
MASKING
Valley Charter Schools will be following the Los Angeles County of Public Health guidelines regarding masking, which may change throughout the year based on community transmission levels.
As of March 13th, 2023, masking for 10 days post-exposure is strongly recommended for students and staff exposed to COVID-19 in a TK-12 setting and for students and staff returning from isolation in a TK-12 setting.
The type of masks required are medical grade masks (surgical or KN95); cloth masks are not permissible for exposure or return from isolation.
COVID-19 TESTING
The California Department of Public Health recommends that “antigen tests be considered the primary option for detecting COVID-19 in schools, compared to PCR Tests.” With this recommendation from the CDPH, Valley Charter Schools will be conducting limited surveillance testing and will offer response testing using antigen tests on-site for students or staff who are symptomatic. Please read below for important requirements and details.
- Required back to school rapid antigen testing: VCS will distribute test kits at each school’s August 22nd event (Meet the Teachers at VCES and Student Orientation at VCMS). Families will be required to administer an antigen test on August 24th and report any positive results in the school-specific survey.
- On-going surveillance testing using at-home kits: VCS will at minimum be requiring that families and staff members administer an antigen test for each significant school break over the course of the year. We may institute additional surveillance testing during the course of the year based on community transmission levels.
- Reporting positive cases: Families and staff members will be required to report positive cases using the surveys above. ONLY POSITIVE CASES NEED TO BE REPORTED. When you complete the survey, the school is automatically notified via email.
- Response testing on-site: Through a program with the state, VCS staff have been trained to administer professional antigen tests. If a student or staff member is exhibiting symptoms, VCS is also able to perform antigen tests for students and staff members on-site, with permission. Please complete the appropriate link below to provide permission to allow a trained VCS staff member to administer an antigen test if your child becomes symptomatic during the school day.
- Student Permission Survey- Response Antigen Testing (parents- fill this out!)
- Test Kit Distribution: Because two tests come in each kit, each kit will be used for two required test dates. Please see the chart below for the dates the tests must be administered.
GROUP TRACING APPROACH TO STUDENTS EXPOSED TO COVID-19 IN A TK-12 SETTING
Since spring of 2022, VCS has been using the group contact tracing approach when an individual tests positive in a school setting.
How does group tracing work?
- VCS families will continue to receive e-mail notification from VCES or VCMS if their student spent more than a cumulative of 15 minutes (within a 24-hour time period) in a shared indoor airspace (e.g. classroom) with someone with COVID during their period of infectiousness.
- Exposed students, regardless of vaccination status, are strongly recommended to be tested for COVID-19 with at least one diagnostic test obtained within 3-5 days after last exposure, unless they had COVID-19 within the last 90 days. Antigen or PRC tests are acceptable.
- Exposed students may continue to take part in all aspects of K-12 schooling unless they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19.
- Exposed students are strongly recommended to wear a medical grade mask (surgical or KN95) indoors for 10 days to prevent individual infection and potential community spread.
VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
All VCS staff and any family members who would like to volunteer on campus in a context where they will have unsupervised or prolonged contact with students are required to be “up to date” with vaccinations. Staff vaccination cards are kept on file and volunteers must present their vaccination cards to staff when signing in to the main office prior to volunteering.
VCS was required to adopt LAUSD’s vaccination policy for students in Spring of 2022. At the current time, their policy does not require students to be fully vaccinated.
EXPOSURE TO COVID-19
If students are exposed to COVID-19 from a member of their household, the family is required to contact the school so that we may implement the appropriate guidance based on the context. Please use the below surveys to report an exposure:
VCES COVID-19 Exposure Reporting Survey
VCMS COVID-19 Exposure Reporting Survey
Students are exempt from this quarantine if all of the following are true:
- They are able to break contact with the positive household member
- They do not have symptoms
- They wear a medical grade mask (surgical or KN95) for a minimum of 10 days post-exposure
- They test 3-5 days after exposure
If students are unable to break contact, they must remain in quarantine at home for a minimum of 10 days following the date of the household member’s positive test.
If an individual is a close contact (whether at home or in the school setting) they are required to wear a medical grade, well-fitting mask for a minimum of 10 days after exposure.
GUIDANCE IF YOUR CHILD TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19
- If your child tests positive, please complete the appropriate survey:
- The minimum isolation period for a positive case is 5 full days, with conditions attached.
- Day 0 is the date of symptom onset or the date the positive test was collected (whichever is first).
- In order to exit isolation after 5 days, individuals will need to meet the following conditions:
- Be symptom free or have greatly improved symptoms (e.g., a small lingering cough or slightly stuffy nose) and be fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of medication.
- Wear a medical grade mask to return to school (note that despite optional masking in other contexts, this remains a requirement for return from isolation between Day 6 and Day 10 unless there are two negative antigen tests in a row).