Important COVID-19 Update
Cambrian School District, March 11, 2020
Dear Cambrian Families and Staff,
Our students, staff, and families are our highest priority here in Cambrian School District. I want to update you on our local efforts to respond to and prepare for the ongoing developments related to the COVID-19 virus. Since our March 6 message to Cambrian families, we have received updated guidance from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The Santa Clara Public Health Department currently is not recommending closing schools.
School Closure Factors
Among other reasons, individuals under 18 years of age have been identified as a low-risk group relative to COVID-19. If a staff member or student in a specific school is confirmed to have COVID-19, the Public Health Department will consider, based on the specific facts and circumstances of that case, whether closure of that school is warranted. The Santa Clara County Public Health Department’s guidance is that the disruption caused by school closure currently outweighs the potential benefits of using school closure to slow disease transmission. Closing schools is a last resort and will be done with great care, transparency, and in partnership with public health officials. These recommendations may be updated upon further evaluation and public health needs.
No school closures will occur without the authorization of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department in consultation with the district and the County Superintendent of Schools. Closure may be of short duration to allow deep cleaning to occur, or of longer duration, depending on the circumstances of the situation, and will be decided on a case by case basis.
Closing school is a decision that is not taken lightly as it causes significant community disruption. There are several important factors to consider:
Children are not a high-risk group for serious illness from COVID-19.
There may be an increase in exposure for the most vulnerable people in our community since older individuals may be designated to care for children at home so the parents can work.
As much as possible, children should be allowed to carry on with their education and normal daily activities.
School closures are very disruptive as not every parent has the time off or the financial security to stay home from work with their child.
Potential workforce shortages due to closed schools may negatively impact our health care system’s response to COVID-19.
Any individual who is diagnosed with COVID-19, or determined to have come into direct contact with someone diagnosed with the virus, will be subject to quarantine and monitoring by Santa Clara County Department of Public Health and will not return to school until medically cleared to do so. Were either of these situations to arise (confirmed student or staff diagnosis or direct contact), all members of the school community would be notified. Any school closure would be based upon the facts and conditions of a specific situation and, were our schools to be subject to closure, we have plans in place to ensure that instruction will continue through the use of online tools.
Attendance
We recognize that some children have underlying health conditions, such as weakened immune systems, that put them at higher risk. Parents of children with underlying health conditions should consult with their family physician about whether their child should stay home from school.
In addition, we are cognizant of the fact that while children and healthy adults are considered low risk for the virus, a small number of our families do have students or members of the household who are considered high risk due to age and/or underlying medical conditions and this creates additional concern regarding exposure. If this situation pertains to your family, we encourage you to first reach out to your medical professional to seek guidance and, if based upon this guidance, you feel that school attendance poses an unacceptable risk to your student or a member of your family, that you then contact the school administration to discuss your specific situation and options.
School Events and Travel
The most recent guidance from the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health provides four considerations in evaluating events:
The size of the gathering
The mix of individuals from various areas and age brackets
The ability of individuals at events to remain at arms length distance from each other and
The duration of the event.
Cambrian School District has put the following measures in place, effective immediately. These decisions were based on guidance from the Santa Clara County Department of Public Health and the four considerations listed above. We are working with a time frame of up until April 10th, but as information changes so may the date and stipulations or changes.
All non-essential, non-instructional events should be cancelled or postponed if they are in spaces that do not permit participants to remain at arms length distance from one another. Individuals in high-risk categories should not attend. Individuals who are not feeling well should not attend the event.
All out-of-county district-sponsored events involving travel should be canceled or postponed.
Middle school sporting events may continue if spectators present stay at arms length distance from each other. Spectators in high-risk groups are discouraged from attending. If individuals are not feeling well they should not attend the event.
At the present time, the Public Health Department recommends that non-essential travel of both students and staff be suspended due to the potential to increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19 into other communities. As such, all field trips are canceled or postponed until further notice.
District-sponsored out of state travel (competitions, tournaments, etc) is canceled pending further updates. Disneyland for our Middle School has not been canceled at this time.
All school wide assemblies where the entire school gathers will be postponed.
For essential meetings (i.e. school board meetings), seating accommodations will be made to ensure adequate distance between attendees.
Other Measures
Only volunteers that are involved on an ongoing basis may continue to serve for the time being. We want to limit the number of contact points within the school community at this time. If you are sick, please stay home. We also encourage those volunteer individuals who are in a high-risk category to consider staying home.
On-campus indoor events/performances/competitions/etc. will be limited to no more than 100 spectators. Depending on the available space in a particular venue, attendance may be further restricted to provide sufficient arm’s-length social distance between those in attendance.
Individuals displaying symptoms of illness or at higher risk should not attend any school events regardless of size.
Prevention Practices
The same simple steps that prevent the spread of ordinary flu viruses work against COVID-19 and other illnesses:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
Cough into a tissue or your elbow (not your hand). Then throw the tissue away and wash hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid contact with people who are sick.
Avoid large gatherings and remain at arm’s length from others whenever possible.
Stay home when you are sick.
Keep students home if they experience elevated body temperature, persistent cough, shortness of breath or respiratory congestion, runny nose, and/or are feeling weak. It is better to err on the side of caution and not expose others in the school community to any illness.
Consult your health care provider if you or your child has special health conditions that put you at increased risk.
Travel Guidelines as Spring Break Approaches
With Spring Break approaching, we want to remind our families that should you travel to any area designated by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as higher risk, you will be subject to CDC post-travel quarantine guidelines. These guidelines protect the health of everyone in our community, and we urge you to be aware of them and to comply with them.
We will continue to monitor these decisions. Starting this week, the Santa Clara County school district superintendents are meeting twice weekly via phone with the County Office of Education and County Public Health Department officials. Also, the Governor and State Superintendent have met to discuss a number of contingencies for addressing continuing education should closures become warranted, addressing funding issues, testing windows, and the impact of canceling events/contract obligations. To date, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the Cambrian School District. We believe that our schools are safe places for our students and staff and we are working very closely with the Public Health Department to ensure that we minimize the risk of transmission of illness and to keep all members of our school community safe. We will keep you updated as circumstances and guidelines evolve.
We continue to closely monitor the situation, work with county and state officials, and will keep our district families informed when there are updates. Cambrian School District is a wonderful community of caring individuals who put the greater good above their own self-interest. I am grateful for your patience and your resilience as we all learn to temper increased distance with deeper care for one another.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) (March 11, 2020)
Has there been a confirmed case of COVID-19 in CSD?
To date, there have been no confirmed cases within the school district.
What happens if a school closes?
If a school should close, the notice will be sent to district families. We urge families to have a contingency plan in place for child care should a school close on short notice. To the best of our ability, instruction via online lessons, work packets, reading lists, etc, will be provided in some form. The type of work may vary depending on grade level.
What if I or my child have an underlying health condition that puts me at higher risk for COVID-19 complications?
Some children and adults have underlying health conditions, such as severely weakened immune systems, that put them at higher risk. Families affected by members with underlying health conditions should consult with their primary physician about whether their child(ren) should stay home from school.
What if my child or I have a cough or feel ill?
Students, parents, and staff with respiratory infection symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and/or a fever should not come to school.
If students or staff feel sick with a fever (including chills or night sweats) cough, and/or shortness of breath, they should stay home from school until at least 24 hours after the fever has gone, without the assistance of any medication. Also, they should contact their health care provider.
What if my child or a staff member becomes ill while at school?
Students who become ill at school will be sent to the health office. If the student has a fever and respiratory symptoms, the student will be isolated in the health office, and parents will be contacted to pick up the student immediately.
Staff members with respiratory infection symptoms or fever should contact the office so adult supervision for the classroom can be found and the staff member should then go home immediately.
Can we still volunteer on campus?
We recommend that adults who fall into the higher-risk categories such as over-60 or with an underlying health condition, not volunteer at this time. Any adults with coughing, respiratory illness or fever should NOT be on campus. And of course, adults who have traveled recently to a level 2 or level 3 country should be in self-quarantine for two weeks.
We have asked teachers to limit the need for volunteers at this time to reduce the amount of contact points within the school community.
My family plans to travel over Spring Break. What should I be aware of?
At the present time, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department recommends that non-essential travel of both students and staff be suspended due to the potential to increase the risk of transmission of novel coronavirus into other communities.
If your family plans to travel in the coming weeks, including Spring Break, be aware of the CDC travel restrictions to/from level 2 and level 3 countries (currently: China, Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea). If your family visits a country or place that is at Level 2 or 3, your child will be required to stay home in self-quarantine for 14 days upon return. Any absence due to quarantine or illness will be excused. Visit the CDC Returning Travelers webpage for additional guidance.
What does a quarantine entail?
Students and adults who are on quarantine cannot attend a school or after-school activities. Per the CDC, quarantine means staying home for 14 days and practicing social distancing.
Take your and/or your child’s temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also, watch for a cough or trouble breathing.
Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period.
Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).
If my child stays home, is the absence considered excused or unexcused?
Children have not been shown to be a high-risk group for COVID-19. Student learning and education will continue as long as schools are open. All existing policies for student attendance remain in place.
What steps is the district taking regarding school cleaning and hygiene?
Please know that student and staff safety is a top priority. As such, we are instituting enhanced cleaning of our school sites and reinforcing handwashing best practices. Sinks, drinking fountains, and bathrooms are disinfected every night. In the classrooms and multipurpose rooms, high contact touchpoints are sprayed with disinfectant and left to dry per best practice. The district increased the disinfecting of classrooms, multipurpose rooms, and high contact touchpoints to an every-night basis.
Teachers are making time throughout the day for children to wash their hands and encourage students to practice good hand hygiene, and cough/sneeze into tissues or inside elbows.
What else can I do to keep my family safe and healthy?
Have a plan in place if schools are closed temporarily.
Think about how to care for loved ones at home if they or you get sick, including how to prevent other family members from becoming infected.
If you can, obtain a two-month supply for your medications or consider using a mail-order pharmacy.
Wash your hands! Frequent handwashing is easy and under your control. Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to contain the spread of illness and disease, including COVID-19, among students, staff or parents.
Don’t touch your face, eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Keep your child home from school if she/he is sick. Don’t go to work if you are sick.
Cough into the crook of your arm or into a tissue, and encourage your child to do the same.
Use a barrier, such as a paper towel or tissue, to touch commonly touched surfaces, such as bathroom door handles and elevator buttons.
Bump elbows or bow instead of shaking hands.
Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces at home.
How Do I Stay Informed?
We encourage all families to stay informed with factual information from the following websites:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
World Health Organization (WHO)
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Santa Clara County Public Health Department
https://www.sccgov.org/sites/phd/DiseaseInformation/novel-coronavirus
Learn about COVID-19 symptoms at:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
CDC Fact Sheet (English):
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf
Cambrian School District
Email: foremand@cambriansd.com
Website: www.cambriansd.org
Location: 4115 Jacksol Drive, San Jose, CA, USA
Phone: (408) 377-2103
Facebook: facebook.com/CambrianSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @Supt_Andrews