Many of you may have seen the updated protocols for the 2021/2022 school year sent out by D51 on Friday. We will be following these same protocols as outlined as below:
2021-22 Back to School Protocols
The coming school year will still have many health and safety procedures in buildings, including daily disinfection of facilities, running ventilation systems longer than normal to increase the flow of fresh air in buildings, and encouraging students and staff to practice good hygiene, such as hand washing and using hand sanitizer. Cohorting is still encouraged to help with contact tracing. Physical distancing of at least 3 ft. is still encouraged, especially among unvaccinated people.
While some things will remain the same, there are some differences planned for this school year:
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Face coverings – Face coverings will not be required for students, staff, or visitors but are heavily encouraged for anyone who is unvaccinated. If a parent wants their child to wear a mask, they are welcome to do so.
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Symptom Tracker – The Daily Symptom Tracker will no longer be used. Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home.
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Quarantine procedures – People who are unvaccinated and live in the same household as a person who tests positive for COVID-19 will need to quarantine, according to Mesa County Public Health guidelines.
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Procedures for those with COVID-19 – Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be asked by Mesa County Public Health to isolate at home for 10 days.
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Vaccination – To reiterate what was said in my previous letters this summer, COVID-19 vaccination is not required for students and staff. It is a personal choice, though one that has been proven effective in protecting people from contracting or becoming severely ill from COVID-19, including variants.
It’s important to note that these protocols are subject to change based on changing caseloads. Some protocols may be loosened or protocols from the past may return depending on the local COVID-19 situation.
Please note that our start date for school is different than D51. Students in grades 1-8 will return to school on Monday, August 16, 2021. Kindergarten students will start school on Tuesday, August 17, 2021. A copy of the school attendance calendar can be found HERE.