Good afternoon NTPS staff and families,

Due to the high volume of COVID-19 positive cases and contact tracing, the district will be prioritizing our contact tracing efforts as recommended by the Washington State Department of Health.

We are also looking at ways to provide additional assistance to our contact tracers, nurses, health room assistants and administrators for contact tracing, as well as the follow up testing required.

Here are the areas of priority we have asked staff to focus on at this time:

1. Top Priority:

• • Positive COVID-19 cases and close contacts associated with outbreaks.

2. High Priority:

• • Bus rides/routes
  • Indoor classrooms where students do not consistently distance or wear masks (e.g., younger children, those with a mask exemption, etc.)*
  • Health room
  • Indoor breakrooms and workrooms (staff only)
  • Indoor or outdoor school-affiliated activities, especially those that are aerosol-generating (sports, performing arts, cheer, speech/debate, etc.) that take place before, during, or after school

3. Low Priority:

• • Indoor classrooms where ALL students were wearing masks
  • Outdoor classrooms
  • Indoor meal locations
  • Hallways/stairwells and other locations used during transition periods
  • Restrooms
  • Any outdoor activities or locations (classrooms, meals, PE, etc.) except for aerosol-generating activities (sports, performing arts, cheer, speech/debate, etc.)

*Special Education; Kindergarten, if adherence is difficult; Classroom with multiple people who have mask accommodations. Does NOT mean if a student or a few students occasionally need reminders to adjust the fit of their mask. 

Thank you for your patience as we work through this difficult time together and support of staff to follow public health guidelines throughout the pandemic.

-NTPS Community Relations