Return to School Updates

Return to the Classroom

COVID-19 Guidelines K-12 School Settings (3-30-22)

January 20, 2022 Email to parents:

COVID-19 Update

Dear School Community,

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Chippewa Valley Schools has worked closely with the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) and its expert guidance in the development of health and safety protocols. This week, the MCHD has revised its guidance for how schools should approach the isolation and quarantine of students and staff for in school exposure. The most important pieces have stayed the same - sick students must stay home and the district will still notify families of positive cases in the school buildings.

Keep those who are sick home
Staff/Families must report positive COVID-19 cases and isolation remains at five days
Cases will continue to be reported on the district’s COVID-19 Dashboard

PROTOCOL CHANGE
The Macomb County Health Department has adjusted their contact tracing and school-based case notification from individual to entire classroom. No longer will individuals be identified as close contacts. Instead, the entire class where a positive case was reported will be notified of the potential exposure.

All students and staff in the impacted classroom should monitor for symptoms.
Those who have or develop symptoms should isolate and test for COVID-19.
Students in the impacted classroom may quarantine but are not required to unless symptoms develop.
Live streaming is available to students who are required to isolate due to a positive COVID test or quarantine because of an in-home exposure.

These changes follow CDC guidance and will support our commitment to ensure healthy students who do not have symptoms remain in school. They will also help with staffing issues and the massive amount of time being spent in schools on individual contact tracing. The continued daily contact tracing has moved the focus of our staff from other critical work, including supporting students’ social/emotional needs, school safety measures, staff development, and building leadership. We need our education professionals focused on the education and well-being of our students and staff.

The countywide protocol changes will become effective on Friday, January 21. If your student/staff is currently quarantined due to in-school exposure or is on Day 6 or later of a COVID-19 illness and has significantly improved symptoms, they can return to school on Monday, January 24. Students/staff who are in Days 0-5 of a COVID-19 illness and unvaccinated siblings of those in Day 0-5 of COVID should remain home until Day 6 and symptoms improve. The MCHD website reflects the new protocols.

Your partnership remains critical. All families should continue to self-screen every morning and children that do not feel well must remain at home. In addition, I encourage you to take advantage of a federal program (https://www.covidtests.gov/) that provides up to four free COVID-19 testing kits to families.

Thank you for your continued support.

Ron Roberts
Superintendent

January 13, 2022 Email to parents:

Macomb County Health Department changes to COVID isolation and quarantine timelines
New guidelines allow for a return after 5 days if individuals do not have a fever and remain symptom free

When the CDC changed its guidelines to adjust quarantine periods to 5 days it didn’t immediately apply to K-12 education. Now those guidelines have been updated for schools and the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) has issued new guidance designed to keep our schools safe. Here are some of the highlights. You can access the complete 8-page document by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message.

Returning to School or Work after a Positive Case of COVID-19

Students and staff with symptoms who test positive for COVID-19 or who are a probable case of COVID-19 may return to school/work if:

- At least 5 days have passed since symptom onset AND

- At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and

- Other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may last for weeks or months and should not delay the end of isolation)

Students and staff who never had symptoms but who test positive for COVID-19 may return to school/work if at least 5 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 test (provided no symptoms appeared during the 5-day period).

Day zero (0) is the day of symptom onset or the day the positive test specimen was collected (if there are no symptoms). The isolation period ends at midnight on the last day of isolation. The last day of isolation is usually day 5 but could be longer if symptoms have not improved.

Returning to school or work after an isolation period of 5 days includes wearing a mask for days 6-10. Those unwilling to wear a mask should isolate for 10 days.

An individual exposed to COVID-19 at home or in the community should follow the same 5 day isolation period and testing on day 5 is recommended.

Quarantine is not necessary for the following persons

Individuals do not have to quarantine if the following conditions are met:

-Students or staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days.

-Students 5-17 years of age who are two or more weeks past completion of a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. Testing on day 5 and wearing a mask around others for 10 days is recommended.

-Students and staff 18 years of age or older who have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including a booster dose. Testing on day 5 and wearing a mask around others for 10 days is recommended.

Quarantine Guidelines for Close Contact with Positive Case
Every other day testing will allow staff and students to remain in school

Unvaccinated students and staff members that have been determined to be a close contact to a positive case should quarantine for 5 days at home. (The initial quarantine period is 10 days but can be reduced to 5 if the individual wears a mask around others for days 6-10.) Students and staff can decide to remain on the job and in school if they test every other day and have a negative test result up to and including day 6 and they wear a mask for 10 days around others. Testing is not required on weekends or holidays unless engaging in school activities.

Complete Macomb County Health Department Guidelines

The health department has updated their COVID-19 guidelines. To view the complete list of recommendations and flowcharts please access this link. We have also updated our CVS Return to School Guidelines to reflect this new information.

January 12, 2022 Email to parents:

Masks required for all students and staff inside school facilities and at all school-related activities through Feb. 4th

Dear Chippewa Valley Schools Families,

Keeping our students safe, healthy and in the classroom is our top priority.

More and more students and staff members are testing positive for COVID-19. Last week, we had over 80 new cases affecting students and staff. Yesterday, we had eight bus drivers out as a result of COVID, and 60 positive cases reported in our secondary schools. Unfortunately, Omicron does not appear to be slowing down just yet.

With the dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases in our county and community, we remain deeply concerned about our ability to offer in-person learning if we experience critical staff shortages.

Therefore, in an effort to help slow the spread and keep our schools open, CVS will require all K-12 students and staff to wear a mask on the bus, in school, and while attending school-related sports and activities. The mask requirement will be in place from January 12th through February 4th, to help mitigate the current surge in COVID cases. Students actively engaged in a sport or a practice will not have to wear a mask while competing. Spectators attending an event will be required to wear a mask.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD), and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend the use of universal masking as part of a multi-layered mitigation strategy to maintain in-person learning.

If students need a mask we can provide a disposable surgical mask. They provide better protection than a cloth mask and will be available in every school building.

Today, we are asking you to join us in our goal to keep everyone safe, healthy, and in school for in-person learning. Thank you to our employees for their hard work and dedication, and thank you to our parents for your ongoing support and partnership.

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Community Relations Department at 586-723-2240 or 586-723-2242.

We appreciate your trust and goodwill during these challenging times.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ron Roberts
Superintendent

Mask Requirements and Remote Learning Reminders

As you know, CVS has put a mask requirement in place until Feb. 4th to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and to help keep our buildings open for in-person learning. The following information may help answer any questions you have.

We’ve been ‘mask optional’ all school year. Why are we being asked to wear masks now?

The District has worked hard to keep masks optional for students and staff up until this point. With the current surge happening in our community it has become evident that COVID has become very disruptive to our school operations. We are experiencing a large number of students and staff out ill or in quarantine. If too many staff are unable to come to work we will have to recommend that classes and schools go remote. We are implementing this requirement to help avoid that.

Once we get beyond this COVID surge and we feel it is safe to do so, we will return to a mask-optional environment. If this happens prior to Feb. 4th we will rescind this requirement.

What if my child cannot wear a mask because of a disability or medical condition?

CVS will offer a mask exemption to students with a district-approved medical waiver from a physician that treats the student for a known health condition or disability. Forms must be approved by the district nurse before a child can attend school without a mask. The medical waiver form is available on our website.

Medical Waiver Form

Can my child livestream their classes if they do not want to wear a mask in school?

The best place for a child to be is in the classroom learning and interacting with their peers. Therefore, the only students eligible for live streaming will be students out of school as a result of a positive COVID-19 test, a close contact quarantine, or if they are receiving medical homebound services.

Can I enroll my child in the CVVA now?

No. The Chippewa Valley Virtual Academy (CVVA) was only available for enrollment in the fall. It would be impossible now to try and build new schedules for our students. Please keep in mind this change in protocols is only scheduled for just over three weeks.

What will happen if my child will not wear a mask in school?

Most children will take their cues from their parents. We find most children will wear a mask without complaint if their parents support the school’s request and communicate their expectations to their child.

Students that do not have a mask will be offered one in school. Students not complying with the mask requirement, and do not have a district-approved medical mask waiver, will be sent to the office and their parents will be contacted. If students do not comply with the mask requirement, they will be sent home and marked absent.

Who do I contact if I have additional questions?

Please contact Community Relations with questions at 586-723-2240 or 586-723-2242.

Email to parents - Thursday, January 13, 2022

Macomb County Health Department changes to COVID isolation and quarantine timelines

New guidelines allow for a return after 5 days if individuals do not have a fever and remain symptom free

When the CDC changed its guidelines to adjust quarantine periods to 5 days it didn’t immediately apply to K-12 education. Now those guidelines have been updated for schools and the Macomb County Health Department (MCHD) has issued new guidance designed to keep our schools safe. Here are some of the highlights. You can access the complete 8-page document by clicking on the link at the bottom of this message.

Returning to School or Work after a Positive Case of COVID-19

Students and staff with symptoms who test positive for COVID-19 or who are a probable case of COVID-19 may return to school/work if:

At least 5 days have passed since symptom onset AND
At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
Other symptoms have improved (loss of taste and smell may last for weeks or months and should not delay the end of isolation)

Students or staff who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days
Students 5-17 years of age who are two or more weeks past completion of a primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. Testing on day 5 and wearing a mask around others for 10 days is recommended.
Students and staff 18 years of age or older who have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including a booster dose. Testing on day 5 and wearing a mask around others for 10 days is recommended.

COVID Testing Clinic hours for January 16th and 17th (Sunday-Monday)

Schools will be closed on Monday, January 17th for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. The Testing Clinic at the CV9 Center will be open on Sunday and Monday for testing, for the hours of 10 am to 6 pm each day. Clinic hours will return to normal, 2:40 pm to 7:30pm, beginning on Tuesday, January 18th.