Dear IUSD Community,
Yesterday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued revised quarantine and isolation protocols for schools that we anticipate will be reflected in a revised county health order from the Orange County Health Care Agency in the coming days. The CDPH’s revised guidance is in conjunction with the state’s adoption of new indoor mask policies that move from requiring students, staff and visitors on school campuses to wear masks indoors to “strongly recommending” masks indoors. This new indoor mask policy will take effect for California TK-12 schools, including IUSD, beginning March 12. For more information, please see our February 28 communication.
Revised CDPH guidance includes the following:
- Group contact tracing, in which schools notify the families of all students who spent at least 15 minutes within a 24-hour time period in a shared indoor airspace with someone who had COVID-19 and was contagious will continue.
- In this scenario, exposed students, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status, should get tested within three to five days after their last exposure — unless they had COVID-19 within the last 90 days.
- As long as they remain negative and asymptomatic, exposed students may continue to take part in all aspects of TK-12 schooling, including sports and extracurricular activities. This means that exposed students are no longer required to comply with the prior rules concerning quarantine or modified quarantine of close contacts.
- After any exposure, the CDPH strongly recommends that students wear a mask at school for 10 days.
- Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 are directed to isolate for 10 days, but isolation can end after day five if symptoms are not present — or are resolving — and the individual has tested negative with a specimen that was collected on day five or later. Antigen tests are preferred.
- Students who have tested positive or are suspected positive for COVID-19 should follow IUSD’s parent notification instructions.
The State’s Focus is Prevention for Managing COVID-19
Since the summer of 2020, the CDPH has regularly updated guidance for TK-12 schools based in part on recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the most recent surge of COVID-19 waning, state health leaders say their focus is now on long-term prevention strategies that ensure safe in-person instruction.
IUSD Health and Safety Measures Remain in Place
IUSD schools and facilities will continue to implement multi-layered health and safety mitigation strategies to prevent and limit the spread of COVID-19 as California moves into a new phase of COVID management. Health and safety measures include:
- Enhanced ventilation
- Standalone HEPA air purification units that clean the air every 30 minutes
- Cleaning and disinfecting protocols
- Hand washing/sanitizing stations
- Masks are strongly recommended by the CDPH but not required starting March 12
- Free COVID-19 testing for students and staff
- Group contact tracing and notifications
- Health and safety protocols to keep sick students home
- Flexible outdoor learning spaces and small group instruction to provide distancing and small group learning opportunities to the extent possible
Click here for a handout with more information about IUSD health and safety mitigation strategies. Please also contact your school directly for more information and questions specific to your school.
Respecting Mask Choices
When the new mask policies for schools take effect on March 12, IUSD school campuses will reflect mask choice that is already occurring in the Irvine community. We understand and respect that our families have differing views and perspectives regarding mask wearing. While some students and staff may feel relieved about changes to mask mandates in schools, others may feel anxious. Regardless of the reasons, individuals may have for their mask choice, it is important to respect each other’s concerns, needs, feelings and opinions. IUSD is committed to fostering welcoming and safe school environments and we ask for the support of our school communities in carrying out a respectful response to this transition – treating all individuals with kindness and empathy.
What You Can Do to Prepare Your Students
To help prepare your student for changes on campus, please review the following information:
- Click here for information about talking with students about mask policy changes.
- Let your child know that some students and staff may or may not be wearing a mask and that assumptions regarding someone’s beliefs or health status based upon their choice should not be made nor should they comment on them.
- Please discuss with your student what your expectations are for your family. Teachers and staff will not be monitoring or enforcing personal family choices.
- If your child(ren) expresses anxiety, please reach out to your school counselors for additional support as needed.
Keep Sick Students Home
In accordance with IUSD health guidelines, sick students should remain home. Students who are positive for COVID-19 or who are waiting for a COVID-19 test must remain home. Students and staff are encouraged to take a COVID-19 test if exhibiting symptoms and/or if they have a known exposure to COVID-19.
Free COVID-19 Testing for Staff, Students and Members of their Household
Free COVID-19 PCR home test kits (saliva and nasal swab) are available at all IUSD school sites. Free at-home rapid antigen test kits for students are also available.
Thank You for Your Partnership
Since the onset of the pandemic, IUSD has followed state and local health guidelines to safely provide in-person instruction, while preventing or limiting the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. We will continue to monitor local conditions and follow guidance from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to help keep our schools safe and respectful learning environments, where all students and staff feel welcomed and supported.
Sincerely,
IUSD Communications