COVID PROTOCOL
As we leave for the Christmas break, we want to let everyone know that we are considering some changes to our Covid Protocol Plan. Due to the availability of the vaccine to children ages 5-11, one change we are considering is to allow for optional, but strongly encouraged, masking for our students and staff in most settings and circumstances. By mid to late January, families that have chosen to have their children vaccinated will have had sufficient time to obtain full vaccination. Additionally, by that time, we anticipate that any increase in positivity and/or exposure to COVID resulting from the holidays will be resolving. Our hope is to move to the new protocol by the end of January, if safe to do so. We will be watching the newest variant very closely.
While vaccination against COVID is now available for children 5-11 years of age, vaccination against COVID will not be required at this time. However, once your student is fully vaccinated, please email or send a copy of their record to Nurse Pisarik. Due to guidance from the CDC, Douglas County Health, and other authorities regulating education and healthcare, we do anticipate different protocols for masked and/or vaccinated individuals compared to unmasked/unvaccinated individuals should exposure occur, similar to some area high schools.
Please note that Douglas County Health Department will continue to guide us when positive cases arise and/or exposure to COVID occur at SVdP. In these instances, masking may again be required for certain individuals, classes, grades, or the entire school. Additionally, there may be times and circumstances when SVdP will require masking based on a heightened risk of exposure to staff and students. For exposures outside of school and within your family, please continue to notify Nurse Pisarik.
Thank you, again, for your continued support and vigilance in keeping our school a safe place for children to learn in person! As more information becomes available, we look forward to sharing it with you. In the meantime, we pray for your continued health and happiness as we enter the Holiday Season!