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Chancellor's Reopening Update for Families
August 18, 2021
Dear DCPS Families,
Today, we are sharing an update on our back-to-school health and safety measures and the robust plans that will be in place as we welcome back all of our students. We worked hard throughout the summer to get our schools ready for your student’s return. We recognize that many of our families have questions about what their student’s experience will look like, and what protocols are in place to protect our schools from the variants of COVID-19.
DC Public Schools has a strong, layered approach to preventing the spread of COVID-19 that we detailed below.
DCPS is focused on preventing the spread of COVID-19 with universal masking, physical distancing, enhanced air filtration and cleaning, and a robust campaign for our community to get the COVID-19 vaccine alongside a vaccination requirement for staff. We are screening for COVID-19 symptoms with daily health assessments for students and staff, and we will have regular asymptomatic testing for students. We are also keeping our families informed if there is a COVID-19 case within their school.
Our robust and layered approach builds upon our experiences in operating our schools for in-person programming last year. We will continue to work closely with DC Health and health and safety experts to regularly review and adapt these measures, to make sure we are taking the strongest steps possible to keep our classrooms open for in-person learning for all our students. You will hear from us regularly as the school year progresses.
We look forward to safely welcoming our K-12 students back on August 30 and our Pre-K families on September 2.
Sincerely,
Lewis D. Ferebee, Ed.D.
Chancellor
DCPS BACK TO SCHOOL HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES
Universal masking
All students, staff and visitors will be required to always wear a face mask on school grounds.
Consistent with DC Health’s latest guidance that encourages masks when outside in crowded areas, we will continue to require masks outside during recess, during before and after school care, and for other school day activities.
Masks can be removed for eating, drinking, and during nap time for PreK students.
If anyone does not have a mask, one will be provided upon entry to the school.
Enhanced air filtration
DCPS invested more than $24 million in HVAC enhancements to protect everyone in a school building from airborne diseases like COVID-19. These enhancements make sure more fresh air is brought into school buildings, that the air is well ventilated and filtered, and that it’s disinfected.
Every classroom has a small filtration unit with a medical-grade HEPA filter to clean the air within that space.
Required immunizations and the COVID-19 vaccine
Students must be in compliance with routine immunization requirements by their 20th school day, or they will be prohibited from attending until compliant. To see a list of required immunizations, visit dchealth.dc.gov/immunizations.
The COVID-19 vaccine is currently not required for students, but we highly encourage all eligible students and community members to get vaccinated as this is the best way to stop the spread of the virus.
Staff are required to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination by September 19 or take a weekly COVID-19 test.
DCPS will not be able to disclose the vaccination status of individual staff or students.
Physical distancing and student interaction
Desks will be physically distanced to the greatest extent possible within classrooms.
To the extent feasible, 6 feet of spacing will be maintained between adults and students.
Student cohort interactions will be limited to the extent feasible, particularly at the elementary school level, but there is no cap for student or staff cohort interactions in any grade.
Schools are encouraged to utilize outside learning spaces where possible.
Lunchtime guidance
Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten will eat lunch in their classrooms. Students in grades 1st – 12th may eat in the school cafeteria.
Masks may be removed only while students are actively eating or drinking.
Cafeterias will be set up to allow the greatest amount of distance between students, and student seating will be assigned.
All schools received two large HEPA filters designed to support large spaces. One of these large HEPA filters will be placed in the cafeteria of each school. The HEPA filter placement will provide local filtration and complete air exchanges in the cafeteria.
Where possible, schools are encouraged to utilize outside eating areas or alternative locations in the building to reduce the number of students in the cafeteria at one time.
Daily health screenings
Each day before going to school, families should complete the “Ask. Ask. Look.” checklist for their student(s).
Upon entry, staff will confirm that students have completed the “Ask. Ask. Look.” checklist and conduct a visual COVID screening.
Visitor guidance
We will continue to limit visitors to our schools. All visitors must be pre-approved, confirm completion of a health assessment, and always wear a mask on school grounds.
Student arrival and dismissal
Families are not allowed to enter the building for student drop-off and pick up, except for students with a parent/guardian escort as a component of a written safety plan.
Notifications about COVID-19 cases within your school
Families will receive a notification if someone tests positive for COVID-19 within their student’s classroom and within their school.
Due to medical privacy concerns, families will not be informed which individual(s) tested positive.
Close contact and quarantine guidance
If an unvaccinated student or staff member is a close contact to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to quarantine for at least 7 days. Students or staff may return to the classroom after 7 days if they take a COVID-19 test on or after day 5 and receive a negative result. Unvaccinated students or staff who do not take a test must quarantine for 10 days.
Vaccinated students and staff who are in close contact to someone who tests positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine if they are not showing symptoms but are recommended to take a test between 3 and 5 days after they are exposed.
Based on the updated guidance from DC Health, a student in a school setting is considered a close contact if they are within 6 feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes within a 24-hour window within 2 days prior to illness onset or positive test result. Per CDC and DC Health guidance, students in a school setting who are within 3 to 6 feet of another student for longer than 15 minutes are not considered a close contact if both students are consistently wearing well-fitting masks or other mitigating factors are in place (for example, physical distancing, increased ventilation, etc.).
If there is a positive COVID-19 case within your school, contact tracers will determine who is a close contact.
To help determine who is a close contact, assigned seating will be utilized in classrooms where students are seated within 3 feet of each other.
Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should not attend school and should isolate for at least 10 days and show improvement of symptoms, including no fever for 24 hours.
Quarantine and classroom instruction
If a teacher is unable to provide in-person instruction, DCPS will first employ substitutes to continue in-person learning for the class.
Students who are required to quarantine will be provided with a DCPS device for learning at home. Course content will be available via canvas for students learning at home. Instruction may be fully virtual, a mix of simultaneous in-person and virtual instruction, or self-guided, depending upon the number of students quarantining and the availability of the teacher. Families will be informed about when and how virtual instruction will be provided.
Quarantine attendance policy
Students should stay home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, are a close contact of a positive case, or as recommended based on the travel guidance.
For students who are required to quarantine but not at the direction of DCPS (e.g., because a family member tested positive for COVID-19 and they were contacted by a contact tracer), the parent/guardian must provide written documentation of the quarantine. The written note must include the date of COVID-19 exposure; the length of time the student has been directed to quarantine by a medical professional or contact tracer; and the name, organization, and contact information of the medical professional or contract tracer.
Please note, students required to quarantine at the direction of DCPS (e.g., because a teacher tested positive for COVID-19) do not need to provide documentation.
Travel Guidance
Unvaccinated individuals who travel outside of the DC-Maryland-Virginia area are recommended to self-quarantine upon return. Three to five days after returning, individuals should get a COVID-19 test. If the test is negative, the self-quarantine can end after the seventh day. If no test is performed, unvaccinated individuals should self-quarantine for 10 days.
We will continue to evaluate COVID-19 case levels and vaccination rates and determine whether DCPS will modify operations around the Thanksgiving and Winter holidays. We will provide an update in October on these considerations.
Asymptomatic testing
For surveillance testing, 10 percent of students will be randomly tested each week for COVID-19, with written consent. Students must have a signed consent form on file to participate in the asymptomatic testing program.
Please click here to complete a consent form for your student! Schools will provide families with instructions on how to return the testing consent form.
We ask you to help make this measure as strong as possible by submitting a COVID-19 testing consent form.
Devices for students
All students in grades 3 and up will be issued their own technology device. For students in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, there will be a 3 to 1 ratio of students to devices.
Students who need to quarantine will be provided with a device by their school.
Enhanced cleaning
Schools will continue to implement enhanced cleaning procedures with CDC and EPA-approved supplies.
Deep cleaning will continue to occur during scheduled school breaks and as needed, per DC Health guidance, related to any COVID-19 exposure.
Sports and extracurricular activities
Mask guidance for sports and extracurricular activities are addressed in DC Health’s tiered guidance based on the level of risk for that sport or activity such as cheerleading or band.
Stuart-Hobson Middle School
