Superintendent outlines return to hybrid on Jan. 19

Many thanks to our students, parents, guardians and staff for their patience, flexibility and perseverance as we navigate through this challenging school year. We are looking forward to resuming our hybrid learning model on Tuesday, Jan. 19, and welcoming back students whose families selected in-person learning. For your convenience, please bookmark our 2021 second semester calendar. 

Saliva Sample Analysis Program
We believe our saliva sample analysis program is an additional safety mitigation that is critical for us to return to our hybrid model and provide a safe school environment for students and staff. Students in the hybrid model must provide a weekly saliva sample for COVID-19 analysis.

SafeGuard Surveillance, LLC will analyze student and staff saliva samples for COVID-19.  If a sample indicates a potential presence of COVID-19, the individual will be referred to a CLIA-certified lab for a diagnostic test. CLIA is the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments to the Public Health Services Act. More information regarding our saliva sample analysis program is available in our FAQ here.

This week, we delivered saliva sample kits to the homes of students whose parents/guardians agreed to the Student Consent and Waiver in PowerSchool. The kits should arrive by Jan. 15 and will include instructions, small vials and small bags. It’s important that parents/guardians ensure their student provides a sample each week.

Our Safety Protocols
As we get ready to return to in-person learning, please review the following items to reacquaint yourself with our safety protocols:

• Certifying Fever-Free, Symptom-Free
  Prior to school, all parents/guardians of students under 18, or those students 18 or older, must electronically certify that they are fever-free with a temperature of less than 100.4 F and free of COVID-19 symptoms.  For those students who ride a bus, this certification must be shown to the driver prior to boarding.

• Bus Transportation
  Face masks must be worn at the bus stop and at all times on the bus.  Students should social distance on the bus to the greatest extent possible.  Windows should be open, when possible, to increase air flow.  Buses will be disinfected daily.

• Temperature Screening at Entry to School
  Upon arrival to school, all students will be queued in lines while maintaining social distancing. Face masks will be required to be worn at all times. Students must show the electronic certification that they are fever-free and symptom-free.  Upon entry to the building, all students will walk through a thermal temperature screening station monitored by security and an administrator.  Any student who displays a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be asked to step to the side to be screened by a school nurse.  If the fever is confirmed, students will be directed to a quarantine area and parent/guardian will be notified.

  Once students safely pass through the screening process, students must go directly to their first class of the day. Hand sanitizer will be available in hallways to maintain appropriate hand hygiene.

• Saliva Sample Program
  Students and staff will receive kits that include small vials with a unique barcode sticker affixed, plastic bags and instructions for collecting saliva samples at home once a week. This is a quick process that involves depositing a saliva sample into the vial; putting the vial into a bag; and sanitizing the bag before returning it to a drop-off box at school each week. Names are not included with the samples.

Commitment to Safety
We are eager to return to our hybrid learning model. Working together and adhering to safety protocols are key to our ability to offer in-person learning. To slow the spread of COVID-19:

• Wear a mask whenever outside your home or around people not from your household;
• Watch your distance, staying at least 6 feet from people outside of your immediate household;
• Wash your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer often;
• Stay home if you are feeling ill;
• Call your school’s health office if you have questions or concerns about your student’s health.

Thank you for your support and commitment to safety.

Sincerely,
David Larson, Ed.D.
Superintendent