Dear De La Salle Families,
The administrations of De La Salle and Carondelet High Schools continue to collaborate with one another on many matters, and especially as it relates to the health and safety of our students, employees, and community. In the middle of week two of school, and with the rise of COVID-19, we wanted to provide an update, which includes Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) protocols for student contact tracing. Please read this entire message to familiarize yourself with current protocols and information.
On-Campus COVID-19 Testing
Beginning on Monday, August 23rd, De La Salle and Carondelet will resume COVID-19 testing for students and their families, and employees and their families, of both schools and De La Salle Academy. Both schools have partnered with Agile Force, which is partnering with LSA Labs, for testing at either location. Carondelet will host testing in their Faculty Room on Mondays (Tuesdays following a Monday holiday) from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and De La Salle will provide COVID-19 testing on Wednesdays from 1:30-5:30 p.m. in the Ladouceur Athletic Performance Center Locker Room.
Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) student Close Contact COVID tracing step
As we have done throughout the pandemic, De La Salle and Carondelet will continue to follow all county and state guidelines. In recent weeks, Contra Costa Health Services implemented different standards for who qualifies as a close contact in K-12 educational settings. It’s important to understand what steps your student will be asked to take if he is a close contact to a person who tests positive.
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Not Vaccinated Student
Both Fully Masked
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Not Vaccinated Student
One or More
Not Fully Masked
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If symptom-free can participate in school and extracurricular activities
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If symptom-free can participate in school, but extracurricular activities affected
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Immediate quarantine at home
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- If not experiencing symptoms, the student DOES NOT NEED TO QUARANTINE at home and should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days.
- If experiencing symptoms, the student must isolate at home, inform their healthcare provider and the school, and take a COVID-19 test.
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- If not experiencing symptoms, and both students were fully masked, a student who was in close contact can attend school as long as the student: remains symptom-free, AND continues to mask appropriately, AND gets tested two times a week during a 10-day quarantine (preferably on Day 6 and Day 8), however, CAN NOT participate in extracurricular activities (including sports, clubs, dances, etc.).
- May resume extracurricular activities after Day 7 if a test collected after Day 5 is negative.
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- Student in close contact MUST QUARANTINE at home until one of these two criteria are satisfied:
1) home quarantine can end after Day 10 (from date of last exposure) if the student remains asymptomatic;
OR
2) home quarantine can end after Day 7 if a specimen collected on Day 5 (from the last date of exposure) is COVID-19 negative.
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Due to these County restrictions, we urge you to discuss with your family and make the decision whether or not to vaccinate your student. In fact, Diocese of Oakland Bishop Barber shared, "We don't always feel like there is something we can do in the face of peril, but there is something we can do to fight this pandemic. We can get vaccinated." Please view Bishop Michael Barber’s video encouraging us to get vaccinated.
Vaccination Upload to SchoolAdmin
If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to share your son’s vaccination status with the school, as this will help with tracing and quarantine protocols, should there be a positive test. You can share that information with the school by uploading your son’s vaccination card to SchoolAdmin.
Once in SchoolAdmin, click “View Checklist” to access where to upload the documentation. If you do not upload your student’s vaccination information by September 3, we will assume that your student is not vaccinated. Please keep in mind that for some off-site retreats and other co-curricular experiences, vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test will be required by the host site.
Masking On Campus
It is important that students continue to consistently follow De La Salle and Carondelet’s masking guidelines. All students are required to wear approved masks whenever they are indoors. All adults, including visitors and parents, are required to wear masks when in the presence of students. Masks are recommended, though not required, when outside. Exceptions may apply for some public or crowded outdoor activities that involve sustained close contact.
As we continue to navigate the twists and turns that COVID-19 brings, our commitment to the health and safety of our community remains at the forefront of our minds. We extend our prayers to all families affected by COVID-19. As a community, may we all offer each other grace as we continue to live through this pandemic together.
The support and partnership you provide as we educate your sons is always appreciated.
In the spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle,
The De La Salle President’s Cabinet
(David Holquin, President; Dr. Heather Alumbaugh, Vice President for Academics; Lynne Jones, Vice President for Finance; Leo Lopoz, Vice President for Athletics; Mark Chiarucci, Vice President for Advancement; and Joe Aliotti, Dean of Students and Chief of Staff)