The health and safety of our students, staff and families remains our top priority in the Elk Grove Unified School District. As we transition students and staff return to our campuses for in-person instruction, the school and classroom environment will look and feel different due to the COVID-19 health and safety measures put in place to maintain a safe learning environment. Our safe, equitable and responsive plan to reopen school is based on guidance provided by Sacramento Country Public Health, state and federal agencies and will be updated as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.

• Efforts to Provide Vaccinations to School Communities
• Universal and Correct Wearing of Masks, Face Coverings and Other Essential Protective Gear
• Physical Distancing (Recess, Meals, School Bus)
• Healthy Hygiene Practice
• Continuity of Services
• Health Screenings for Students and Staff
• Identification and Tracing of Contacts
• Quarantine and Modified Quarantine
• Staff Training and Family Education
• Identification and Reporting of Cases
• Communication Plans
• Appendix 1 – Sample Notifications

Resources

Face Covering/Mask Guide – Information on appropriate face coverings
Face Shields and COVID-19 FAQs
COVID-19 Symptom & Quarantine Decision Forest for K-12 Schools
 COVID-19 Symptom & Quarantine Decision Tree for Pre-Schools & Child Care
Daily Home Screening For Students- Guide to check for symptoms each day
Proper Handwashing Techniques Flyer
Fight Germs. Wash Your Hands! – Presentation
COVID-19 Signage – Elementary
COVID-19 Signage – Secondary

Efforts to Provide Vaccinations to School Communities

• February 2021 – March 2021  
  • EGUSD collaborated with local health officials, community organizations and local health care providers to provide COVID-19 vaccination information and clinic opportunities to all EGUSD staff. 
• March 2021 – ongoing 
  • EGUSD continues to collaborate with local health officials, community organizations and local health care providers to provide COVID-19 vaccination information and clinic opportunities to all EGUSD eligible students, families and community members at identified school location. 
  • EGUSD maintains a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic information webpage on the District’s website. 
  • EGUSD created a public awareness campaign on social media and through public relations to promote the importance and availability of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and continues to partner with local agencies to further promote vaccinations and help decrease vaccine hesitancy. 
  • EGUSD sends weekly Community Updates to all District staff, students and families to further promote and inform the public about area COVID-19 vaccination clinics and the importance of getting vaccinated to stop the spread of COVID-19. 

Universal and Correct Wearing of Masks, Face Coverings and Other Essential Protective Gear

• Face coverings will be used in accordance with California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidelines.
• Masks are optional outdoors for all TK-12 school settings. 
• TK-12 students are required to mask indoors, with exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance. Adults in TK-12 school settings are required to mask when sharing indoor spaces with students.   
• Students and staff must have a medical waiver signed by their primary care physician to be exempted from wearing a face covering. Previous masking exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance will still be honored. 
• Students and staff are exempted from the requirement if:
  • They are under age 2 years old
  • Have a medical or mental health condition or disability that would impede them from properly wearing or handling a face covering (waiver required).
  • Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition, as confirmed by school district health team and therapists, must wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.
  • Those with a communication disability, or when it would inhibit communication with a person who is hearing impaired. Those with communication disabilities or caregivers of those with communication disabilities can consider wearing a face shield with a drape, clear mask or cloth mask with a clear panel when appropriate.
• Education limited situations where a face covering cannot be used for pedagogical or developmental reasons, (e.g., communicating or assisting young children or those with special needs) a face shield with a drape can be used instead of a face covering while in the classroom as long as the wearer maintains physical distance from others. Staff must return to wearing a face covering outside of the classroom.
• Face coverings should follow district dress code standards
• Education to all students and staff on how to properly wear, dispose, and clean face coverings, masks, and shields
• All visitors, including families, must wear face coverings when indoors on campus. 
• Students and staff will be monitored throughout the day to ensure they are properly wearing a face covering.
• Removing of face coverings or face shields with a drape, will only occur while outdoors, during meals, snacks, naptime, or when it needs to be replaced. When a face covering is temporarily removed, it should be placed in a clean, safe area, designated for the specific student or staff, until it needs to be put on again.  
• Each school will continue to follow its Multi-Tiered Systems of Support and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports to maintain safe school environments. Per the CDPH mask guidance, students who do not qualify for a face covering exemption, or who are not willing to wear a face covering, may attend either the EGUSD Virtual Academy or Las Flores Independent Study Programs. 

 Face Covering/Mask Guide – Information on appropriate face coverings
 Your Guide to Masks (CDC)
 Face Shields and COVID-19 FAQs (California Department of Public Health)

Physical Distancing

• According to California Department of Public Health (CDPH), recent evidence indicates that in-person instruction can occur safely without minimum physical distancing requirements when other mitigation strategies (e.g., masking) are implemented. 
• There will be no minimum physical distancing requirements on campus, but physical distance will be maximized as much as possible in all settings. 

Recess:

• • For playground use students will wash their hands before and after. 
  • Equipment should be cleaned between use, or at least once daily. 
  • No physical distancing requirements during recess. 

Meals:

• • Students will be able to eat breakfast and lunch on campus.  
  • Maximize physical distance as much as possible while eating (especially indoors).  Arrange for eating outdoors as much as feasible.  
  • Clean frequently touched surfaces. Surfaces that come in contact with food should be washed, rinsed, and sanitized before and after meals. 
  • Students in elementary schools will be eating lunch with their own classrooms. No mixing of classrooms at the tables.

School Bus:

• • Face coverings must be worn at all times by students and staff, unless they meet exemptions listed in the face covering section.  
  • Distance will be maximized on buses, to the extent possible. 
  •  Hand sanitizer will be available for all staff and students as well.  
  •  Cleaning will occur after each run, or as frequent as possible.  
  •  A minimum of two windows will be kept open on school buses at all times while transporting students to improve airflow. If an installed ventilation system is used on a school bus, it will be set to maximize outdoor air and not set to recirculate air. 

Healthy Hygiene Practice

• All students and staff will be taught proper handwashing practices, teaching may include:
  • Return demonstration
  • Video instructions
  • Staff training will be created and process defined by Risk Management
• All classrooms and offices have access to hand sanitizer and/or hand washing stations.
• All students and staff should wash hands, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water is not available, at increased frequencies.
  • Education provided on how to properly and safely use hand sanitizer for staff and students.
• Handwashing times need to be built in the daily activities in classrooms for students, staff, and visitors when:
  • Entering and exiting a classroom
  • Before and after meals
  • Before and after using the restroom
  • After sneezing or coughing into a tissue
  • Before and after using a shared item
  • Before and after playground use
• Provide continual reinforcement of proper hand hygiene practices throughout

Proper Handwashing Techniques Flyer
Fight Germs. Wash Your Hands! – Presentation

Continuity of Services

• Student academic services and needs will continue to be provided in addition to students’ social, emotional, mental health, and other needs such as student health and food and nutrition services.
• Support and resources for staff social, emotional and mental health needs will also continue through the EGUSD employee assistance program.
• Appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to health and safety policies will continue to be provided through the EGUSD Special Education Department.

Health Screenings for Students and Staff

Screening:

• Staff and students will be instructed to take their temperature and check for symptoms at home daily prior to coming to work or school:
  • Families and staff must report fever/symptoms to their school and work site.
  • Stay home if a student or staff has a fever, other symptoms, or have come in close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Education and communication to staff and families on how to properly take temperatures and check for COVID-19 symptoms daily.
• Training will be completed for staff on how to recognize COVID-19 symptoms in staff and students.

Symptoms on campus:

• Students who are symptomatic on campus will be sent to the COVID-19 Symptom Isolation (COSI) room to be assessed by a trained staff.
• Parents/guardians will be called to pick up student as soon as possible.
• Cleaning of the COSI room will be done in-between students or as frequently as possible.
• Staff who are symptomatic on campus will be sent home by their supervisor.
• For all cases, they will be recommended to reach out to their physician and take a COVID-19 test if needed.
• BinaxNOW rapid COVID-19 testing will be available to all students on campus who are symptomatic or considered a close contact to a positive case on campus. More information about the BinaxNow COVID-19 Rapid Test can be found here. 
  • Parents/guardians must provide written consent for their student(s) to be tested. You can find the consent form here. The form only needs to be completed once, but parents/guardians will be notified prior to each test administered. If you would like to sign the consent form ahead of time, please print, sign, and return to your student’s school. Consent forms will also
    be available to complete at school sites.
  • For students who are symptomatic on campus and receive a negative rapid test result, they will need to receive a PCR test to confirm the negative test results before return to class. PCR tests will also be available on campus. PCR tests could take 24-72 hours to receive results.
• Follow SCPH symptom decision tree for students and staff.

Daily Home Screening For Students – Parents/Guardians may utilize this document as a guide to check for symptoms each day.
COVID-19 Symptom & Quarantine Decision Forest for K-12 Schools – SCPH guide to assist staff and students when they have symptoms.
 COVID-19 Symptom & Quarantine Decision Tree for Pre-Schools & Child Care

Identification and Tracing of Contacts

• Supervisor and administrators must be notified and they will inform their school nurse or health coordinator of any positive COVID-19 cases.  
• School nurse or health coordinator will:
  • Follow-up and confirm test results with the identified positive case and conduct in-district contact tracing.
  • Contact Sacramento County Public Health (SCPH) for confirmation and recommendations.
• Students/staff who tests positive must self-isolate at home until:
  • 24 hours with no fever AND
  • Respiratory symptoms have improved (e.g. cough, shortness of breath) AND
  • 10 days since symptoms first appeared.
• Students/staff who are asymptomatic and test positive must self-isolate at home until:
  • 10 days since they were tested.
• Exposure notifications will be sent to all staff and families who were possibly exposed on campus.

Staff Training and Family Education

• Training will be provided for all staff in illness prevention (including handwashing, social distance, face coverings, and proper cleaning and disinfecting), recognizing COVID-19 symptoms, etc.  
• Education provided to all students on illness prevention (including handwashing and face coverings)—With clear guidance and directions, students in secondary and intermediate grades in elementary will be given the opportunity and means to clean their own work areas with cleaning technology that is safe for student use. 

Identification and Reporting of Cases

When a student/staff member must quarantine/isolate: Quarantine/isolate will be determined by a physician, public health officer, school nurse and/or health coordinator.

• Supervisor must inform their school nurse or health coordinator if at administrative facilities.
• School nurse/health coordinator will notify the family/staff member when they need to quarantine.
• Site school nurse will then notify the Health Coordinator.
• Site school nurse/Health Coordinator will notify Sacramento County Public Health of positive cases on campus.
• Health Coordinator will notify:
  • Appropriate members of COVID-19 Case Response Team (CCRT).
  • Custodial Manager for deep cleaning at site, when appropriate.
  • And send appropriate exposure letters for distribution. (Exposure notifications will be sent to all staff and families who were possibly exposed on campus.)

Quarantine and Modified Quarantine

Quarantine guidelines for all outdoor close contacts, must follow same guidelines as indoor close contacts.

Students and staff who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and live in the same household as an individual who tests positive must quarantine at home. Students and staff who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and are asymptomatic, do not have to quarantine at home even if they live with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19.

Quarantine recommendations for unvaccinated students for exposures when both parties were wearing a mask, as required in K-12 indoor and outdoor settings, including on the bus. These are adapted from the CDC K-12 guidance and CDC definition of a close contact.

• When both parties were wearing a mask, unvaccinated students who are close contacts may undergo a modified 10-day quarantine as follows. They may continue to attend school for in-person instruction if they:
  • Are asymptomatic;
  • Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
  • Undergo at least twice weekly testing during the 10-day modified quarantine (testing available on-campus); and
  • Continue to quarantine at home for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting.
  • When both parties were wearing a mask in the indoor classroom setting, unvaccinated students who are close contacts (more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within 0-6 feet indoors) may undergo a modified 10-day quarantine as follows. They may continue to attend school for in-person instruction if they: 
    • Are asymptomatic;
    • Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
    • Undergo at least twice weekly testing during the 10-day quarantine; and
    • Continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting.  
• Modified quarantine can end after Day 7 if a diagnostic specimen is collected on or after day 5 from the date of last exposure and tests negative. Proof of test results will be required.
• For families who do not respond or do not complete registration for testing at the school site, their children will need to continue to quarantine at home until they connect with the contact tracer or school site and complete registration for testing at the school.
  • If students present on the next day to school after calls have been made by the contact tracer, Principals are to contact the family and inform them the student will need to go home until family completes the registration for testing.
  • If parent chooses to test the student outside of school, they must provide proof of results. These tests cannot be home rapid tests. Test results must be provided by the dates determined by the contact tracer.

Quarantine recommendations for unvaccinated close contacts who were not wearing masks or for whom the infected individual was not wearing a mask during the exposure. For students who were not wearing masks, they do have to quarantine at home.

• For these contacts, those who remain asymptomatic, meaning they have NOT had any symptoms, may discontinue self-quarantine under the following conditions:
  • Quarantine can end after Day 10 from the date of last exposure without testing; OR
  • Quarantine can end after Day 7 if a diagnostic specimen is collected on or after day 5 from the date of last exposure and tests negative.
• To discontinue quarantine before 14 days following last known exposure, asymptomatic close contacts must:
  • Continue daily self-monitoring for symptoms through Day 14 from last known exposure; AND
  • Follow all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., wearing a mask when around others, hand washing, avoiding crowds) through Day 14 from last known exposure.
  • If any symptoms develop during this 14-day period, the exposed person must immediately isolate, get tested and contact their healthcare provider with any questions regarding their care.

Staff quarantine guidelines you may find in the “COVID-19 Exposure Prevention Plan” section of this document.

Isolation recommendations

• For both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, follow the CDPH Isolation Guidance for those diagnosed with COVID-19.

 Communication Plans

• Positive cases will be reported to the local health authorities and recorded and displayed on the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard.
  • http://www.egusd.net/covid-dashboard

Appendix 1 – Sample Notifications

Students:

• Exposure Letter (Positive Case) – Student
• Close Contact Letter – Student

Staff:

• Exposure Letter (Positive Case) – Staff
• Close Contact Letter – Staff