On-Campus Health & Safety Guidance

As we continue to welcome students enrolled in the On-Campus Continuum back on campus for traditional and blended learning and Option 2 (Chesapeake Online) students for school events and activities, there are several health and safety strategies all students and staff must follow to prioritize healthy schools.

COVID-19 MITIGATION STRATEGIES

  • Masks/Face Coverings – required for all staff, visitors, and students inside the building and on our school buses.CDC IMAGE OF people wearing face masks. Text reads: Masks are required. All students and staff.
  • Physical Distancing – we will increase space between students during in-person instruction.
  • Symptoms screening – all staff and students will be required to complete a daily symptom check. Families will fulfill this requirement for their student in ParentVUE with the Daily Digital Health Screening survey.
  • Hand hygiene – students and staff are encouraged to exercise frequent hand hygiene (washing or sanitizing) throughout the day. Hand sanitizing stations will be strategically placed throughout the school building.
  • Student supplies – students are responsible for providing their own face mask and school supplies. Staff will limit sharing of supplies and disinfect materials between use.
  • Facility cleaning – custodial staff will increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing facilities and high-touch surfaces throughout the school day.

COVID-19 VOCABULARY

  • CDC image representing contact with a covid+ personClose contact:  A person who –
    -was within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 (even if they did not have symptoms) for at least 15 minutes total.
    -provided care for someone who is sick with COVID-19.
    -had direct physical contact with someone who is sick with COVID-19.
    -shared eating or drinking utensils with someone who is sick with COVID-19.
    -got respiratory droplets on them (through sneezing, coughing, shouting, etc.) from someone who is sick with COVID-19.
  • Positive case: A person who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus using a laboratory test.
  • CDC image: Have symptoms? Stay Home.COVID-like symptoms: New onset cough or shortness of breath, congestion or runny nose, fever (100.4 or higher), chills, muscle pain or body aches, sore throat, new loss of sense of smell or taste, headache, unusual or unexplained fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea.
  • Isolation: Staying home from work, school, and/or activities when a person has a confirmed case of COVID-19. Isolation lasts for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms, 24 hours fever-free without fever reducing medication, and an improvement of symptoms. For people who have not had symptoms, isolation lasts 10 days from the day they had their first positive test.
  • Quarantine: Staying home from work, school, and/or activities when a person is a close contact of someone with COVID-19. Quarantine lasts for 14 days (unless the person develops symptoms, then they will be put in isolation).

DAILY DIGITAL HEALTH SCREENING

Image of a smart phone with the ParentVUE app logo.The Daily Digital Health Screening must be completed each morning to report the student’s information BEFORE they leave for school. When parents and guardians login to their ParentVUE account, they will automatically see the 5 question survey. If you discover that your answer to any of these questions is “YES”, please DO NOT send your student to school. If you or your student experience any symptoms, please contact your health care professional and let the school attendance office know as soon as possible.

PARENT TOOL-KIT

CDC official logoThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) developed a COVID-19 Parental Resource Kit. The web-based kit provides access to free resources that support parents, caregivers, and other adults serving children and young people in recognizing children and young people’s social, emotional, and mental health challenges and helping to ensure their well-being.

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

A list of community resources available to anyone in need is available on our website. Resources include contact information for local United Way offices, social services, food banks, and mental health support services.

EVALUATING SYMPTOMS

VDH Algorithm for Evaluating a Child with COVID-19 Symptoms or Exposure (released August 24, 2020). Section of Algorithm "FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS" *Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever (greater or equal to 100.4 degrees F) or chilss, fatigue (More tired than usual), headache, muscle aches, cough, nasal congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomitting, new onset poor appetite or poor feeding. Flow chart primary question reads "IS YOUR CHILD SICK WITH SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19?" If "NO" - ask "HAS THE CHILD HAD CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONED WITH COVID-19?" If still "NO" - Then it is appropriate to send the child to school. If "YES" (to "is your child sick?") - THEN ASK "ARE THE SYMPTOMS NEW OR UNUSUAL FOR THE CHILD" If "YES" - then Keep your child home. Call your healthcare provider. Notify the school.

The Virginia Department of Health developed this Algorithm for Evaluating a Child with COVID-19 Symptoms or Exposure. This flowchart provides guidance for parents/guardians, schools/childcare facilities, and healthcare providers.