COVID-19 Resources - SCSD Health & Safety Plan

SCSD Health & Safety Plan

The San Carlos School District continues to plan, prepare for, and implement its instructional programs and school operations in response to conditions and requirements emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with state and county public health guidelines, SCSD is safely reopening our school campuses to resume on-site, in-person teaching, and learning.

School procedures will look different than pre-pandemic, and they will be based upon the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and CA Department of Education (CDE) guidelines.

View our updated SCSD Health & Safety Plan updated on March 16, 2022 for the most up-to-date information.

_____________________________________________________

SMCOE Pandemic Recovery Framework

The San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) issued an updated San Mateo County Pandemic Recovery Framework to help guide all San Mateo County schools in the 2021-22 school year. The updated document addresses health and safety protocols in schools for 2021-22 and is aligned to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year and to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The public health guidelines address masks, hand washing, visitors on campus, and other proactive health and safety measures to allow for learning to safely continue in-person on school campuses.

______________________________________________________

COVID-19 Data Dashboard

This table tracks reported COVID cases during the regular school year. Data will be shared weekly for the whole district and not by individual campuses. Data reporting started on Monday, August 9, 2021, the week SCSD staff returned to campus. This data only includes individuals who were on campus during a time when the County Health department would consider them infectious for COVID-19.

Identifying information about COVID cases is confidential and no details about individuals will be provided to the public. Positive COVID cases are reported to San Mateo County Health, per the county's Pandemic Recovery Framework. Case notifications are provided to the appropriate school communities. Should your child be identified as Close Contact, you will receive additional information.

Dashboard Data for January 2022

Week of:	Number of Students/Staff Reporting a Positive COVID Case:	Date San Mateo County Health was Notified:
May 9, 2022	30	May 9-13, 2022
May 2, 2022	29	May 2-8, 2022
April 25, 2022	22	April 25-May 1, 2022
April 18, 2022	17	April 18-24, 2022
April 11, 2022	18	April 5-17, 2022
April 4, 2022	4	April 4-10, 2022
March 28, 2022	- schools closed -	n/a
March 21, 2022	2	March 21-27, 2022
March 14, 2022	2	March 14-20, 2022
March 7, 2022	4	March 7-13, 2022
February 28, 2022	2	February 28 - March 6, 2022
February 21, 2022	- schools closed -	n/a
February 14, 2022	9	February 14-20, 2022
February 7, 2022	5	February 7-13, 2022
January 31, 2022	11	January 31-February 6, 2022
January 24, 2022	30	January 24-30, 2022
January 17, 2022	37	January 17-23, 2022
January 10, 2022	55	January 10-16, 2022
January 3, 2022	22	January 3-9, 2022

Dashboard Data for August - December 2021 - Click to Expand

Dashboard Data for August - December 2021

Week of:	Number of Students/Staff Reporting a Positive COVID Case:	Number of Individuals in Modified Quarantine* Due to Exposure on Campus:	Number of Individuals in Quarantine Due to Exposure on Campus:	Date San Mateo County Health was Notified:
12/27/21	n/a	- schools closed -
12/20/21	n/a	- schools closed -
12/13/21	4	41	4	12/13/21, 12/16/21
12/6/21	2	27	2	12/9/21
11/29/21	2	0	11	11/30/21 & 12/2/21
11/22/21	1	0	0	n/a
11/15/21	2	45	2	11/15/21 & 11/18/21
11/8/21	3	46	3	11/8/21, 11/10/21 &11/14/21
11/1/21	3	43	3	11/1/21, 11/2/21 & 11/6/21
10/25/21	1	16	1	10/26/21
10/18/21	1	11	1	10/23/21
10/11/21	0	0	0	n/a
10/4/21	3	151	3	10/4/21 & 10/5/21
9/27/21	0	0	0	n/a
9/20/21	1	5	1	9/26/21
9/13/21	1	58	1	9/16/21
9/6/21	3	3	3	9/6/21 & 9/7/21
8/30/21	2	67	2	9/1/21 & 9/3/21
8/23/21	3	66	3	8/22/21 & 8/25/21
8/16/21	1	9	1	8/20/21
8/9/21	2	0	2	8/11/21

(Table may be difficult to read on a phone or mobile device. Please visit the webpage from your laptop/desktop.)

____________________________________________

Additional COVID-19 Information and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We will continue to add to this section of our COVID-19 Resources page to provide clarity on questions we receive.

**MARCH 2022 UPDATES PENDING**

CDPH K-12 Schools Guidance 2021-2022 Questions & Answers:

Click on this link for more information from the California Department of Public Health K-12 Schools Guidance 2021-2022 Questions & Answers page.

Why are we notified about a positive case 3-5 days after the infectious period? (March 16, 2022)

It is the goal of the San Carlos School District to notify families of exposure as soon as we are able. Once we are notified that there is a positive Case of COVID-19 on campus, we must first determine who may have been exposed, this can take up to 8 hours per case depending on when were first notified.

COVID-19 Exposure at School (CDPH) Graphic (March 16, 2022):

Student Exposure at School Chart - COVID-19 Student Exposure at School (CDPH) Option 1: Group Tracing Approach

Groups who shared the same indoor airspace for at least 15 minutes within 24 hours of someone with COVID-19.

Staff Exposure at School Chart - COVID-19 School Staff Exposure (CDPH)

*Note: Quarantine and testing are not required for asymptomatic employees who have recovered from COVID-19 in the last 90 days.

Stay Home When Sick and Get Tested:

The CDPH notes that getting tested for COVID-19 when symptoms are consistent with COVID-19 will help with rapid contact tracing and prevent the possible spread at schools.

CDPH recommends the following:

Staff members and students with symptoms of COVID-19 infection should not return for in-person instruction until they have met these criteria:
- At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Other symptoms have improved; and
- They have a negative COVID-19 test,
  - OR a healthcare provider has provided documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic condition (e.g., allergies or asthma)
  - OR a healthcare provider has confirmed an alternative named diagnosis (e.g., Streptococcal pharyngitis, Coxsackie virus),
  - OR at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset.

Follow the CDC's guidelines for Staying Home when Sick and Getting Tested:

Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of infectious illness, such as influenza (flu) or COVID-19, should stay home and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care.
Parents and guardians should keep children home if they are showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and get them tested.

(Source - Pandemic Recovery Framework, page 10)

Student and Community COVID-19 Testing:

Please take advantage of COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department.

Contact your health provider for a test if you have symptoms or know you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Keeping COVID cases off of our campuses will keep our in-person learning possible.

Please take advantage of the COVID-19 testing provided by the San Mateo County Health Department. Click on the link to sign up at one of the following locations to begin your regular weekly testing:

NEW OPTION - Worksite Labs - Arroyo Upper Elementary (Patio 3)
- Mondays & Wednesdays from 3:30 - 6:30 pm Sign-up for testing at Arroyo

Central Middle School (parking lot)

- Mondays 11:00 am-6:00 pm
- Tuesdays & Wednesdays 9:00 am-4:00 pm
- Thursdays 12:00 pm-7:00 pm
- Fridays 11:00 am-6:00 pm
- Sign-up for testing at Central here

Tierra Linda Middle School (parking lot) (*Tuesdays (not Fridays) effective 3/22/2022)

- Tuesday* & Wednesday 11:00 am-5:00 pm
- Saturday 8:00 am-3:00 pm
- Sign-up for testing at Tierra Linda here

Other Community Based Testing Sites in San Mateo County here

Independent Study Program:

California Assembly Bill 130 authorizes districts to provide Independent Study for a student whose health would be put at risk by in-person instruction, as determined by the parent or guardian. The program SCSD is offering in 2021-22 will differ significantly from the Connections program we offered last year in that synchronous instruction will be limited, as the legislation requires just 30 minutes daily for grades K-3 and 40 minutes, 2 times per week for 4-8 grade.

Here is a presentation slide deck from the August 5, 2021 SCSD School Board Meeting with more detailed information. If you are interested in this program or would like to inquire more about it, please contact your school Principal.

Travel Guidance:

See the table below for CDC recommendations concerning travel. Per the CDC recommendations concerning travel, SCSD will be using the guidelines in the table below for staff or students that travel domestically and internationally. This CDPH link has additional recommendations for guidelines for travel.

Ventilation:

When outdoor air quality is satisfactory, staff are encouraged to open doors and windows to bring fresh outdoor air into the building and classroom to help keep virus particles from concentrating inside. In-room (portable) air purifiers have been provided in every classroom to reduce the risk of long-range airborne transmission by providing high-efficiency filtration. In the event that outdoor air quality is poor, doors and windows should be shut, and classes being held outside should be relocated inside. The supplied air purifiers will provide filtration of both virus particles and smoke or other airborne particles. Classrooms and areas with HVAC systems have been provided with MERV rated filters that are changed quarterly. The majority of classrooms in the district do not have HVAC systems, and therefore rely on airflow from doors and windows and fans for cooling, and boilers or similar heating systems for heating. For resources and guidance on air quality, visit the San Mateo County Office of Education’s Air Quality Resources webpage.

How is SCSD Improving Air Quality in our Schools? (Added from Air Quality Protocols page 8/31/21)

Indoor airborne particles can be removed in two ways: ventilation (air exchange) and filtration (removing particles from the air). SCSD has HVAC systems with Merv 11 filters and HEPA hospital-grade air purifiers to catch particulate matter and improve air quality. All units are serviced quarterly and documented. Opening windows and doors further layers this support, but when air quality is compromised by smoke from wildfires, we will defer to the guidance from the San Mateo County Office of Education and close windows and doors based on that guidance.

__________

SCSD District

Point-of-Contact

__________

District Nurse
Page Pollack

call 650-632-8300

District Nurse

Jennifer Otanez

call 650-832-4201

or call 650-590-5922
if Nurse is unavailable

__________

SCSD Director of Human Resources

Jennifer Smith jsmith@scsdk8.org
650-590-5922

Resources for Staff

__________

Superintendent Communications

__________

To view communications that have been sent to parents, please visit our Superintendent Message & Updates page.

__________

Board Briefs

__________

To learn more about the Return to School Procedures Plan you can review school board meeting agendas, watch the meetings, and read the Board Briefs after the meetings. Visit our Board Meetings page.

__________

2021-2022
SCSD Documents

__________

2020-2021
SCSD Documents

__________

Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)

__________