The students have been enjoying being back in school, actively learning and participating in activities. I have been fortunate to hear the hustle and bustle, along with being able to get to know some of the incredible kids we have in this district. They are excited to be in person with their friends and teachers again, getting the opportunity to experience more normalcy in their day. At the same time, we are working around the clock to mitigate the health and wellness issues at hand. The Covid-19 numbers have been rising in the community. We are working with the health department to do whatever we can to keep our staff and students safe and healthy.

Please take advantage of the BinaxNOW testing program. At this time we can test students that become symptomatic in school. This has been a terrific tool to avoid lengthy quarantines or visits to the doctor. Please sign the consent at your child's school. We will also be sending out a docusign for the consent via email in the upcoming weeks.

District 6 Covid Protocols

• 3-feet social distancing recommended within the classroom where possible.
• Masks must be worn among all students and staff in buildings with children present anywhere in the buildings, despite vaccination status.
• Covid testing of symptomatic students regardless of vaccination status. (If a consent to test is on file.)
• If your child is a close contact to a Covid positive person at school while masked, they must quarantine for 10 days from last exposure to that person IF they are unvaccinated, unless they have consent to do screening testing with the nurse on Day 1, 3, 5, and 7 if they remain asymptomatic. If the contact comes from within the household they still must quarantine. Vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine if a close contact.

• If your child contracts Covid, please isolate them for 10 days from the start of their symptoms OR if asymptomatic, their test date. Call your school's nurse so contact tracing can be initiated.
• If your child OR any of your household members are symptomatic with any of the below symptoms, they must stay home and either get a negative Covid test result or a doctors note to return, regardless of vaccination status. Call your school and speak to the nurse if your child has Covid like symptoms.

Covid symptoms are as follows:

o Fever over 100.4

o Cough

o Shortness of Breath

o New Loss of Taste or Smell

o Body Aches

o Sore Throat

o Vomiting

o Diarrhea

-Essential visitors allowed in the buildings as long as they are masked and asymptomatic. An essential visitor is an individual coming into the school for required education or health purposes.

-Deep cleaning of buildings every day and cleaning of high touch points throughout the day.

-No outside food brought in.

-Limit the amount of items and furniture in classrooms.

-Hand hygiene education provided. Washing of hands before and after eating.

-Nurses and administrators will monitor community transmission of COVID-19, vaccination coverage, screening testing, and outbreaks to guide decisions about the level of layered prevention strategies being implemented.