Dear Empire Union School District Students, Families and Staff,
With great excitement, we welcome the new school year and the full opening of our schools for learning. We have much to look forward to as we finish out a wonderful summer learning program and prepare to bring all students back to every campus, every day, learning in every subject and in every classroom. While we are excited to reopen EUSD schools for full-time, in-person learning, the safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority, and we want to share the latest health and safety guidance that applies to all school settings for 2021-2022.
On Monday July 12, 2021, the District received an update from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) related to K-12 school settings, which primarily pertains to masking. Please know that this guidance is effective immediately, and we will follow this guidance in our schools. The updated guidance applies to all schools for the 2021-2022 school year, which for Empire Union School District, begins for our district schools which start on August 9, 2021.
Below is a brief summary of the primary changes we will be implementing for the new school year:
Guidance for the Use of Face Cverings – Jly 12, 2021
Masking Guidance Updates
All EUSD students are required to wear masks indoors, with exemptions per CDP face mask guidance. All adults in TK-12 settings are required to wear masks when sharing indoor spaces with students. According to the new CDPH guidelines, masks are optional outdoors for all TK-12 settings.
Previous masking exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance will still be honored. Per the CDPH mask guidance, students who do not qualify for a face covering exemption, or who are not willing to wear a face covering, may attend EUSD’s Independent Study Program by contacting Instructional Services at (209) 521-2800.
Schools will provide masks if students need them, and school staff will continue to follow existing protocols to address behavior issues related to mask wearing.
Physical Distancing Update
According to the new CDPH guidelines, in-person instruction can occur safely without minimum physical distancing requirements when other mitigation strategies (e.g. masking) are implemented.
School Visitors and Volunteers
Access to school campuses is permitted. Visitors and volunteers are not allowed in classrooms unless deemed essential for educational purposes. In those cases all safety protocols will be adhered to.
Quarantine Recommendations for Unvaccinated Students
Quarantine recommendations for unvaccinated students for exposures when both parties were wearing a mask, as required in TK-12 indoor settings.
When both parties were wearing a mask in the indoor classroom setting, unvaccinated students who are close contacts (more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within 0-6 feet indoors) may undergo a modified 10-day quarantine as follows. They may continue to attend school for in-person instruction if they:
- Are asymptomatic;
- Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
- Undergo at least twice weekly testing during the 10-day quarantine; and
- Continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting.
- Click here for more information on quarantine guidelines.
What if my child is showing symptoms?
Students with symptoms of COVID-19 infection should not return for in-person instruction until they have met CDPH criteria to return to school for those with symptoms:
- At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Other symptoms have improved; and
- They have a negative test for SARS-CoV-2, OR a healthcare provider has provided documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic condition (e.g., allergies or asthma) OR a healthcare provider has confirmed an alternative named diagnosis (e.g., Streptococcal pharyngitis, Coxsackie virus), OR at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset.