- Lake Stevens School District
- COVID-19 Safety Plan
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COVID-19 Safety Plan & Guidance
Safety PlanNote: Guidance for K-12 schools is constantly changing. We update our District COVID Safety Plan as quickly as possible, but new guidance may be enacted by the Washington State Department of Health and/or the Snohomish Health District before our district plan is updated.
Lake Stevens School District COVID Safety Plan (as of Oct. 11, 2021)- COVID Case Response Flow Chart (as of Oct. 1, 2021)
- Determining close contacts in school settings (as of Aug. 24, 2021)
- Handling suspected, presumptive or confirmed cases of COVID-19 (as of Oct. 8, 2021)
- What to do if your student is out in quarantine (as of Oct. 12, 2021)
Requirements
- Current requirements for the 2021-22 school year (as of Oct. 4, 2021)
- COVID-19 Toolkit from Snohomish Health District
- Outdoor mask requirements for large events (as of Sept. 13, 2021)
- Mandatory vaccines for K-12 employees
Updated quarantine guidelines for Lake Stevens School District
Beginning Monday, Sept. 27, school districts began managing their own contact tracing and notification of close contacts with guidance from the Snohomish Health District, as needed. This is a task our nurses and school administrators have largely been doing already.
Change in quarantine guidelines for close contacts
The 14-day mandatory quarantine for close contacts has been lifted by the Snohomish Health District in order to give students and employees the opportunity to return to in-person learning/employment more quickly, while continuing to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 28 in Lake Stevens School District:
Close contacts should now follow this guidance:
Quarantine for 10 days after the last close contact, without additional testing required. However, if any COVID-19 symptoms develop during the 10 days, remain in quarantine the full 14-days and get tested. Continue monitoring for symptoms until day 14.- Families who wish to keep their child in quarantine for the previously- recommended 14-days will have the support of the school district. Absences will continue to be excused and at-home learning options will be provided by teachers.
- Students and employees who are currently quarantined must complete their full 14-days. The new guidance is not retroactive.
- Fully-vaccinated employees and students who are close contacts do not need to quarantine unless they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. This remains unchanged.
COVID-19 Testing
The Snohomish Health District has two drive-thru testing locations. Appointments are required. Other local healthcare providers and pharmacies also offer testing.
Lake Stevens School District is exploring the new “Test to Stay Model” that is being implemented by the Washington State Department of Health to see if it is feasible in our district. Test to Stay allows close contacts to return to school/work following a negative COVID-19 test instead of completing the full quarantine period.
We hope to be able to implement this program, but have to consider the already increased workload and responsibilities of our nurses and school employees due to the pandemic. If we implement this program, it must be done with fidelity.
Next steps
Our district COVID-19 Safety Plan has been updated to reflect this new guidance. We are also maintaining a COVID-19 Tracker that shows confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in students and employees in our schools. In an effort to protect the privacy of our students and employees, we are not separating employee and student cases in the Tracker. We have not included close contact data, because it’s not a reliable indicator of positive cases in our district. The Tracker is updated every Wednesday for the week prior.We appreciate the efforts of our employees and families to follow our COVID-19 safety protocols to ensure that our students can continue in-person learning. Our students are amazingly resilient and have done a wonderful job adapting to their changing environments. We are also incredibly proud of our employees who are diligently working to maintain a healthy learning environment.
Thank you for being part of our Lake Stevens School District Community.
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2021-22 Student Return to School FAQ
We are following the K-12 COVID-19 Requirements for the 2021-22 School Year set forth by the Washington State Department of Health.
What safety measures are in place to protect students?
- Masks are required for all students, employees, and visitors when indoors—regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks are required outdoors for large events, regardless of vaccination status, as of Sept. 13, 2021
- The social-emotional wellbeing of our students is incredibly important. Educators will work with students to ensure effective verbal and nonverbal communication is maintained, and that students feel comfortable and supported.
- Students will have the opportunity to take masks breaks throughout the day, while outside and socially distanced.
- As long as social distancing can be maintained, masks are not required outside during recess or outdoor PE activities.
- Students will be socially distanced in classrooms, hallways, learning spaces, and cafeterias as much as possible.
- Our custodial crew will continue to clean and sanitize classrooms, learning spaces, and cafeterias based on state and national requirements and guidance from health experts
How will mask wearing be enforced?
Masks are required for all students, employees, and visitors when indoors—regardless of vaccination status. Wearing a mask protects the wearer, and other people! Please help your child be a successful mask-wearer by modeling this behavior in public, and staying positive in discussions at home.Students who arrive at school without a mask will be provided one. School employees will work with students to respectfully remind them about mask wearing expectations. If this is a habitual issue, school staff will contact the student’s family. If a student/family refuses to follow the mandatory mask mandate, the student may be transitioned to our Distance Learning Program.
Are COVID-19 vaccinations required for students to attend school?
As of this time, no. If this decision is made, it would be mandated by the Washington State Department of Health. Other immunizations are required for school attendance.
Physical Distancing
During last year’s Hybrid In-Person Learning the physical distancing guidance for students was 6-feet. That guidance has been updated to 3-feet when possible to allow for full-time, in-person learning. Students are physically distanced as much as possible in classrooms and learning spaces.School employees are also doing their best to maintain the 3-feet guidance during mealtimes when students are unmasked and eating. However, this is a challenge given the number of students in our schools. Physical distancing is not possible on our school buses. However, masks are required, and windows are lowered to create ventilation. Please continue reading for additional information about school buses.
How close contacts and quarantine are determined
When an employee or student tests positive for COVID-19, our nurses and district leaders work with the Snohomish Health District Schools Team to determine close contacts and quarantine requirements. In school settings, close contacts are defined using this chart. We also use the Case Response Flow Chart from the Health District. Please note: This chart does not specify a response for fully-vaccinated students and employees. Those individuals do not need to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure unless they have COVID-19 symptoms.Families with students who are determined to be a close contact to a COVID-19 positive person will be notified by email and/or phone call from a school employee explaining the situation and quarantine guidelines.
If there is a COVID-19 positive case at your child’s school and your child is not a close contact, you will not be notified. While we understand that families want to know this information, it’s essential that we protect the privacy of our students and employees.
Quarantine
Students and employees who are close contacts to a COVID-19 positive person must quarantine at home for 10-days after the last close contact. However, if any COVID-19 symptoms develop during the 10 days, remain in quarantine for 14-days and get tested. Continue monitoring for symptoms until day 14.Quarantine means that students cannot attend school or child care, cannot participate in organized sports or activities, and must stay home and away from others as much as possible. The only exception is for fully-vaccinated students and employees who don’t have COVID-19 symptoms.
How do quarantined students remain engaged in school?
- Tip sheet for students in quarantine
- Student absences due to quarantine will be excused.
- Families of students who are quarantined should contact their child’s teacher(s) and inquire as to how assignments are instruction will look. School work and assignments will be determined by the teacher in the same manner as a normal illness or absence.
- If more than one student in a class is COVID-19 positive, the entire class may be shifted to Distance Learning during the 14-day quarantine period, depending on guidance from the Snohomish Health District. This depends on contact tracing, the number of close contacts, and the number of COVID-19 positive people. In these instances, the teacher will provide school work and learning through Seesaw or Google Classroom. Detailed information will be shared by the teacher in these instances.
Do vaccinated students need to quarantine if they are exposed to COVID-19?
Fully-vaccinated students do not need to quarantine unless they are experiencing symptoms of COVID.
What has been done to ensure appropriate ventilation in classrooms and on school buses?
School ventilation was reviewed during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our ventilation systems meet all of the necessary guidelines for safety as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control. School bus windows will continue to be lowered to increase airflow.
How are school meals being served?
All students enrolled in Lake Stevens School District can receive breakfast and lunch each school day at no charge during the 2021-22 school year. School menus are available here.Additional sneeze guards and equipment were purchased to help expand meal service lines, and to maximize student social distancing. Schools have touchless transaction options and are cashless.
Families who qualify for Free and Reduced Meals should still complete an annual application form to receive district and community reduced fee benefits. Learn more on the Food & Nutrition Services webpage.
Students will be socially distanced in cafeterias to the degree possible and reasonable (page 5) and will wash/sanitize their hands before and after eating. Because physical space and enrollment varies by school, each school will have a unique plan to accommodate meals. Principals are in the process of finalizing school-specific meal plans.
Will volunteers be welcomed into schools and classrooms this year?
We love our volunteers! They are valued partners in the education of Lake Stevens' students. In an ongoing effort to keep our students and employees healthy, however, we are not hosting volunteers in our schools at this time. By Oct. 18, only fully-vaccinated volunteers will be allowed in our schools. Please review the important update from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. We will reach out to volunteers later this fall with additional details. Thank you for your patience and your partnership!