TCS@ODU Parent Communication
COVID Safety
Family To Do
There are more details below on all of these items, but we need all families to attend to these items right away:
- Send your student to school with a face mask 😷 (and a spare) everyday. Ensure that it fits properly, is one they feel comfortable in, and that they are committed to wear.
- Talk to your student about proper wearing of a face mask.
- Inform the school via email about students' vaccine status (vaccinated, in-process, unvaccinated).
- Reach out to the school immediately should you observe symptoms in your student, someone in the household tests positive or has a suspected case, or you believe your student was otherwise exposed to COVID.
Deans Ingman, Rulong, and Selemon
Overlapping Safety Strategies
- Air ionizers to scrub the air of viruses, bacteria, and mold spores.
- Hand sanitizer in each classroom and strategically throughout the building.
- Touch point sanitizing throughout the building during the day.
- Face masks required for all staff, students and visitors.
- Physical distance of 3 feet in classrooms.
- Random symptom screening (temperature and symptoms).
- Rapid antigen tests can be administered by families of students who suspect their student has COVID.
- Pooled sampling will commence at the school in the coming weeks. More information below and forthcoming.
We need your help...
We remind students regularly of how to properly wear a mask. We need your backing and support in this endeavor. Please remind your students of the importance of correctly wearing their mask.
The biggest problem is students wearing it beneath the nose. This DOES NOT protect them from COVID. They must cover their noses and mouth.
In addition, we are going to limit eating to the gym. Students should not be eating in the hallway or classrooms. Students may drink water anywhere in the building, however, they should limit the amount of time their mask is down to fewer than 2 minutes.

Quarantining
If one of those elements was not followed and a student was exposed, if they are vaccinated they may remain in school unless they test positive. If they test positive they should quarantine for 10 days from date of the positive test.
If a student did not consistently wear a mask and they are not vaccinated, they must quarantine for at least 7 days if they tested negative at least 5 days after exposure. If they test positive they must quarantine for 10 days.
We are following this quarantine flow chart from Ohio Department of Health should you have questions:

Vaccinations
Please inform the front office of your students' vaccine status so that we know how to proceed in the event of an exposure. If you have your completed vaccine card, you can email us a picture of the card. If your student is unvaccinated please send us an email with their name in the subject line and their status in the body of the email (statuses: vaccinated, completed first round, completed second round, or unvaccinated).
Communications
If your student tests positive, you will receive an email from the school detailing what they should now do and when they can return to school.
If you suspect symptoms or exposure, do not send your student to school. Please call the school at your earliest convenience so we can talk through what's going on.
COVID Testing
Rapid Antigen Testing
It requires a non-phone device which is internet capable and connected. The device should have a webcam that is enabled. It also requires a smart phone to download an app. You establish an account via the app and can register your student under the name of the responsible adult.
It is important that you download the app and follow all instructions from the app in order have a valid test. Once you receive your results, you can share them with the school in order to learn about next steps.
Pooled Testing
While we respect family's wishes if they choose not to consent their student, we cannot assure their safety or the safety of others and so may need to conduct more regular symptom screening or suggest a greater sensitivity to quarantining if family's opt out in the interest of community safety.
We are all in this together and we are here to help so please reach out should you have questions about the pooled testing.
We're all in this together
We are in the process of getting laptops out to every student and hope to have that process completed within a week. This will help students who may need to quarantine keep up on their academic work utilizing Google Classroom.
We know that this virus is very challenging for families, please also know that it's challenging for your students' teachers. But we are committed to continuing to work hard to ensure the safety of everyone!
#Wereallinthistogether
Deans Ingman, Rulong, and Selemon