Wolfpack Howler
Volume 20 Issue 4 - Oct 5, 2021
Updated Close Contact & Quarantine Protocols
The district’s Maintaining In-Person Learning During COVID-19 document, which describes the district’s COVID-19 protocols, has been updated to reflect the following changes:
- Removal of close contact tracing: The district will no longer be performing close contact tracing.
- Removal of quarantine requirement for close contacts with no symptoms: If a student or staff member has been exposed to someone who tests positive for COVID-19, they may continue to attend school and report to work as long as they have no symptoms. If an individual develops symptoms, no matter how mild, they will need to stay home and follow the Wellness Check for Students & Staff.
- Any students currently out of school due to close contact quarantine will be able to return on Monday, October 4 as long as they are symptom-free.
If an individual with no symptoms is a close contact to someone in the home and is not able to follow Public Health guidance to quarantine or isolate, testing is strongly recommended. A recommended testing schedule for a close contact is every three days for a 10 day period.
This decision allows staff and students who remain symptom free to continue to attend school, and supports our primary mission: the education of students. The following layered safety measures will remain in place: vaccinations for those eligible, mask wearing inside school facilities, frequent hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, using available testing, increased social spacing, and cleaning of high touch areas.
FNSBSD Partners with Beacon for COVID Testing
We’re pleased to announce that the district has contracted with Beacon Occupational Health and Safety to expand COVID-19 testing availability for district students and employees.
Starting Tuesday, October 5, the district will offer three COVID-19 testing sites for all students and employees at West Valley High School (at the back of the building via the Staff Parking Lot), the Administrative Center, and North Pole High School. Each site will be staffed by two Beacon technicians between the hours of 8am and 5pm Monday thru Friday. Appointments will continue to be made at k12northstar.org/COVID or from the button on every school homepage.
The $207,500 CARES funded contract between the district and BEACON will continue for the next three months. The district will provide the antigen and PCR tests and Beacon will provide the necessary staffing and equipment to run three testing sites. Scheduling of appointments, test result notification, and State reporting will also be managed by Beacon.
This partnership will allow nurses and principals to spend less time on COVID mitigation and more time serving the other health and educational needs of students. At the same time, it will provide more robust, timely, and convenient testing opportunities for district students and staff. Testing remains our best tool for helping keep COVID-19 out of schools and the most students in school learning.
Extension Tutoring
We have student tutoring available at WVHS during extension. If your student needs a tutor, please have them stop by room 214 and talk to Ms. Zundel. Students can also email: [julie.zundel@k12northstar.org]
WVHS Counseling Office: 479-4221 ext. 46520
Willie Blackburn | A-F (10th-12th) ext 46525
Colleen Johnston | G-N (10th-12th) ext 46524
Anna Sprague | O-Z (10th-12th) ext 46527
Teesha Lane | all Freshmen ext 46523
Upcoming Events:
Link to School District Calendar | Special Weeks Class Rotations
OCT | LGBTQ+ History Month
OCT 5 | Fairbanks Municipal Election
OCT 5 | School Board Regular Meeting / 6:00 pm / Zoom & In-Person
OCT 11 | Indigenous Peoples Day
OCT 11 | International Day of the Girl Child
OCT 15 | End of Quarter 1 - Early Release
OCT 19 | School Board Regular Meeting / 6:00 pm / Zoom & In-Person
OCT 28 & 29 | Parent-Teacher Conferences - No School
OCT 31 | Halloween
NOV 12 | Professional Development Day - No School / Mid-Quarter 2
NOV 25 & 26 | Thanksgiving Holiday - No School
DEC 15, 16, & 17 | Final Exams - Early Release
UPDATED Wellness Check - Symptom Free Schools
West Valley High School
Email: contact-wvh@k12northstar.org
Website: https://www.k12northstar.org/westvalley
Location: 3800 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Phone: (907)479-4221
Facebook: facebook.com/wvhWolfpack/
Twitter: @wvhWolfpack