Sequoia Union High School District

FAQ

Q: Will students be required to wear masks?

Yes, masks are required indoors (with exemptions) but are optional when outdoors (e.g., participating in outdoor activities, eating, and physical education activities). However, particularly in areas of substantial to high transmission levels, people who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people who are not fully vaccinated.

Students that inadvertently forget a mask or those students that do not wear masks will be provided one; students that need extra support following health and safety measures will experience a restorative justice and MTSS-aligned education opportunity. Parents/guardians will be included in the education program; students that continue demonstrating the need for additional support will have a parent/guardian conference to discuss a transition to the district’s Independent Studies program under AB130.

Exemptions include but are not limited to:

Persons younger than two years old
Persons with a medical condition or mental health condition
Persons with a disability that prevents wearing a mask
Persons who are hearing impaired or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication
Persons for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.

Q: Will students be required to social distance?

When possible, students and staff are encouraged to remain at least 6 feet apart. However, indoor distancing may be less than 3 feet, if necessary, to accommodate students’ in-person learning.

Please note that although social distancing between students may be less than 3 feet, a Close Contact to a positive case is still defined as being “within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes. In general, cumulative within a 24 hour period”.

Q: Will students be required to do health screenings?

All students, staff, and visitors are required to screen themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and/or potential exposure daily before entering any SUHSD school campus or facility.

Although the daily health screening will not be submitted to your school or district, people should remain offsite and notify the appropriate school staff member of their absence reason when any of the following are true:

In the last 5 days, person has:

Tested Positive for COVID-19
Been a close contact to someone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19 (within 6 feet of the individual for at least 15 minutes or been coughed or sneezed on)
Been a close contact to someone feeling symptoms of COVID-19 (within 6 feet of the individual for at least 15 minutes or been coughed or sneezed on)
Been identified by a healthcare provider, public health department, or contact tracer as someone who should get tested

In the last 24 hours, person has experienced any of the following symptoms:

Fever or feeling feverish (chills, sweating)
Cough that's new or worsening (continuous, more than usual)
Shortness of breath (out of breath or unable to breathe deeply)
Sore throat (not related to seasonal allergies or other known causes/conditions)
New headache that is unusual or long-lasting (not related to migraines or recurring headaches)
Unexplained muscle or body aches
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
New loss of taste or smell

Q: Who is considered a close contact?

Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a close contact is defined as being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative 15 minutes or longer over a 24-hour period.

Q: What happens if a student or staff member has Covid-like symptoms or tests positive for COVID?

Staff and students that test positive for COVID must report their positive case to school Administration and isolate at home for at least 10 days since the date their symptoms began or the date they tested if asymptomatic. Positive cases should also contact their healthcare provider.

Staff and students with COVID symptoms should not attend school in-person instruction until they have a negative COVID test and symptoms are gone for 24 hours without medication, or until they isolate at home for at least 10 days since their symptoms began.

For more detailed information, please read the COVID-19 Exposure flowchart below:

Q: What if a student or staff member comes into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID?

Vaccinated individuals who are identified as close contacts to someone with COVID and are not showing symptoms can continue attending school in-person while monitoring for symptoms (if develop symptoms, stay off site and report to school staff & healthcare provider).

Unvaccinated individuals who are identified as close contacts to someone with COVID and both were wearing masks can quarantine for 10-14 days (health guidance to determine days) OR continue attending school in-person if they:

are Not showing symptoms (asymptomatic)
continue to appropriately wear a mask, as required
get tested twice a week over a 10 day period
do Not participate in any extracurricular activities, including sports or clubs

If an unvaccinated person comes into close contact with someone who has COVID and they were not wearing a mask, they must quarantine for at least 10 days since the last exposure and cannot participate in any extracurricular activities. The quarantine can end after day 7, if the individual is tested on day 5 from the date of the last exposure and the results are negative. Individuals must continue to self-monitor for symptoms for up to 14 days from the last known exposure and follow all health and safety protocols.

Staff and students who are affected will be offered diagnostic testing once a case is reported.

For more detailed information, please read the COVID-19 Exposure flowchart.

Q: What are the safety precautions the district will continue to implement?

The District will continue to implement face coverings (masks), physical distancing, and health and hygiene practices, as outlined in the SMCOE’s Pandemic Recovery Framework for Schools, and will follow the California Department of Public Health Guidelines to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

Q: Will students be required to get vaccinated?

No. Currently, there is no requirement that students must show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to attend school.

Q: How will the district accommodate students with IEPs that do not feel safe returning?

SUHSD will work collaboratively with families through the IEP process to determine placement for students with IEPs. Please contact SPED Coordinator Clare Chandler at cchandler@seq.org for more information.

Q: What are the learning options for any student that does not want to return to in-person instruction?

Families concerned about their student(s) health may opt to enroll their student(s) in the District’s Independent Study program. Information about the District’s Independent Study Program may be accessed here.

Q: How will instruction occur?

Instruction will be in-person, five days a week, with full instructional minutes as it was prior to the pandemic unless a student is enrolled in the District’s Independent Study Program.

Q: What will happen with athletics in the Fall?

Athletics will begin as normally planned; see the district Athletics website for more information.

Updated guidance is anticipated to be released by CDPH before school starts. If the updated guidance has modified health and safety requirements, SUHSD will communicate those changes as necessary.