October 22, 2020
RE: Quarantine Guideline Change Trial
Dear Pirate Families:
The Cooper County Public Health Department issued a School Quarantine Reduction Trial in which county school districts may elect to participate in following Board of Education approval. The Boonville Board of Education engaged in an initial discussion regarding the proposed School Quarantine Reduction Trial at the October 14th Special Board Meeting and continued the conversation last evening at the regular October Board Meeting. The Board of Education approved the trial with immediate implementation. Please note the following points:
- This is a trial. According to the Health Department's guidelines, if two or more students who were identified as close contacts due to school exposure test positive for COVID-19, the trial ends.
- Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 will continue to be required to isolate regardless of mask use.
- Students and staff who are identified as close contacts due to COVID-19 exposure outside of school (home, close friends, work, etc.) will be required to quarantine and are not eligible for in seat learning for the 14 day quarantine period.
- Students and staff who are identified as close contacts due to COVID-19 school exposure, who display no signs/symptoms of COVID-19, will be provided the opportunity to continue in seat learning and participate in school activities. They will also be instructed to return to quarantine at the conclusion of their school day/activity schedule for the entire 14-day quarantine period. Please note, both the positive COVID-19 student and identified close contact both must have consistently worn a mask during the potential exposure period.
- Students and staff who are identified as close contacts due to exposure at school will be afforded the opportunity to quarantine if s/he chooses to do so.
- Mask use language has changed from "expected" to "required." Students in grades 6th-12th are required to wear a mask at all times, unless they can maintain a physical distance of six feet or more, eating lunch and/or engaged in physical activity (CDC Guidelines).
- Staff members (all grade levels) are required to wear a mask at all times. Exceptions are eating lunch, when working alone in an office or classroom, maintaining a physical distance of six feet or more from others, or engaged in physical activity.
- Vicki Friedrich, Health Coordinator, will continue to conduct all contact tracing investigations.
- Vicki Friedrich will continue to contact all students and families identified as close contacts and provide health information. Vicki will continue to maintain spreadsheets and other documentation regarding who was identified as a close contact, when the exposure occurred, and when a quarantine period ends.
- Teachers and staff will continue to maintain seating charts for all classes.
- Vicki Friedrich will continue to use a variety of contact tracing efforts to gather needed information, such as interviews with parents, students, teachers, review of seating charts, etc.
- The District will continue to provide communication to parents and guardians around all known positive COVID-19 cases and exposures in the District as applicable and with respect to privacy requirements.
- Parents and guardians are expected to closely monitor their students, especially if identified as close contacts, for any signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and immediately remove them from the learning environment.
- Health and safety precautions such as frequent hand washing, use of hand sanitizer, and staying home when not feeling well are prioritized and reinforced with students and staff.
- Students who are ordered to quarantine due to exposure outside of school or choose to quarantine due to exposure at school continue with his/her education through Distance Learning methods (i.e., Google Classroom). The District will provide additional information to families and students quarantining regarding Distance Learning expectations.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we implement these changes into our school routine.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sarah Marriott
Superintendent of Schools