Masks will be optional in our schools and school buses starting on March 14, 2022. Students, staff, and volunteers may choose to wear masks based on their individual and community health needs. Individual mask choices should be respected. Bullying behavior will not be tolerated.

Please note that masks will be required in certain school areas, such as in school health and isolation rooms.

A close contact is defined as:  

• Students and staff in a K-12 indoor or outdoor classroom or other structured environment with assigned seating: Students or staff who were NOT wearing a mask and were within 3 feet of another person with COVID-19.  
  
  • This excludes individuals who were at least 3 feet away from an infected individual when both were consistently and correctly wearing well-fitting face coverings/masks.
    
    
• Anywhere else at school: Someone within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes over 24 hours. This includes exposure between a student and an adult or exposure between adults. 
  
  

A person is considered to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 more than 2 weeks after they have received their second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer/Moderna), or more than 2 weeks after they have received their single-dose vaccine (J&J/Jansen). 

A person is considered to be fully boosted immediately after receiving a COVID-19 booster vaccine. 

While both quarantine and isolation involve staying home and staying away from others,   

Quarantine prevents people who have been exposed to COVID-19 (close contacts) from unknowingly spreading the disease to others.   

• Stay home for 5 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.  
• If possible, stay away from people you live with.  
• Wear a well-fitted mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. 
• Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a mask. 
• Watch for symptoms of COVID-19 for 10 days. 
• For students and staff, the 5-day quarantine or the Test to Stay program are additional options to reduce the length of quarantine. 

Isolation is used to separate people infected with COVID-19 (positive test result) from those who are not infected to prevent spreading the disease to others. 

• Stay home and away from others, even if you don’t have symptoms. 
• If you do have symptoms, monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention if needed. 
  
  

Please isolate at home and get tested for COVID-19. 

Some minor, single symptoms lasting less than 24 hours in individuals who are not known close contacts may not prompt the need for COVID-19 testing. See the full Flowchart for Symptomatic Students and Staff here (page 1) >>

Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19, or are symptomatic with no test given:

• Must notify school & isolate at home for 5 from symptom onset.

In order to return to school:

• Students and staff must complete a minimum 5-day isolation, AND when fever free for 24 hours (without medication), AND symptoms have greatly improved.  

Upon return to school:

• Students and staff must wear a well-fitted mask around others on days 6-10, OR test negative with an antigen test to return without a mask.
• Individuals who have accommodations that allow them to attend school and not wear a well-fitting mask or face shield with a drape or wrap must stay in isolation for the full 10 days unless they test negative.

If symptoms are present, the individual must isolate at home and test for COVID-19.  

• If positive or no test is given, the individual must follow the guidance for a positive test result. 
• If negative, the individual may return to school when fever free for 24 hours (without medication) AND symptoms have greatly improved.

If asymptomatic, the individual may stay in school and take part in all in-person activities: 

• Strongly encouraged to get tested 3-5 days after exposure. PCR, antigen, and at-home tests are acceptable. If the test result is positive, follow the guidance for a positive test result.
• Consider wearing a well-fitted mask for 10 days after exposure - especially during high risk activities like indoor sports or performing arts. 
• Watch for symptoms for 10 days after close contact exposure. 

The Test to Stay program has been modified and is now recommended for household contacts, and may be required in an outbreak/cluster situation.

Test to Stay now applies to students and staff in the above situations, who are:

• Between the ages of 5–17 years who have not completed a primary vaccination series.
• Ages 18 or older who completed a primary series of recommended vaccine but have not received a recommended booster shot.
• Not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series. 

Individuals may continue to attend work, class, childcare, and participate in extracurricular activities while completing a Test to Stay protocol if they:

• Are tested serially for COVID-19 over a 10-day period and receive negative results (Testing recommended immediately, day 3-5, and day 7-10), AND
• Remain asymptomatic, AND
• Wear a well-fitted mask around others (recommended) for 10 days.

If at any point the individual develops symptoms, they must isolate at home and follow the symptomatic guidance.

If at any point the individual receives a positive test, they must isolate at home and follow the guidance for a positive test.