Health Guidance for Schools - End of Year Reminders
May 18, 2021
Hello Summit School District (SSD) Staff and Families,
First, we want to recognize what a journey this school year has been. All of our staff have gone above and beyond to reinvent classrooms to be adaptive and responsive to the pandemic. We want to remind families that this school year isn’t over, and we are excited for each day we can be together for the next two weeks. Let’s finish this year strong by working together to keep our school buildings healthy and safe by supporting our layers of protection.
As a reminder: All Summit schools will continue to enforce wearing masks, daily symptom screening, quarantine practices, and following all mitigation strategies for the remainder of this school year.
Wearing masks has been an effective strategy to keep our teachers and scholars safe in our school buildings, and we want to remain consistent with this mitigation strategy as we engage in the final two weeks of the school year. According to the CDPHE Guidance for Schools, the Close Contact Tool outlines criteria for lower risk of exposure. If scholars are masked and physical distancing is ensured, then in the event of a COVID positive case, only individuals who have been in direct physical contact or within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes will be quarantined. This guidance has greatly decreased the impact of quarantines in our schools. In addition, verifying fully vaccinated status across the secondary school buildings with thousands of staff and scholars would be an undue burden, especially as schools are in the final days of providing highly effective learning and planning for end-of-year celebrations.
As you are aware, CDPHE Guidance for Schools states that schools will continue to quarantine this school year, but those who are fully vaccinated will not be required to quarantine if exposed but should monitor symptoms. Scholars and staff are still being quarantined, so please review these few reminders:
Even if you are fully vaccinated, please continue to complete your symptom screener every day. It is important to be aware of symptoms when they start to lessen any potential impact.
Vaccines have shown to be highly effective in protecting you from getting COVID-19 (95% effective!), however, current information suggests it is possible that someone who has been fully vaccinated may still test positive for COVID-19, so please continue to follow all mitigation strategies.
If you have symptoms, please stay home and get tested immediately at a community testing site. See the flyer for symptoms.
SSD has no policy requiring vaccinations, and families have the right to make the best decision for their families. Please see the information on the state website for the immunization opt-out process: cdphe.colorado.gov
There are a number of resources available to support you. Please see the following:
If you or your child need mental health support or assistance with the financial aspect of mental health support, please email SSDSupport@summitk12.org.
If you have further questions related to the Summit School District and COVID-19, please email: COVID19@summitk12.org.
If you are quarantined and have any questions, please contact Summit County Public Health at 970-668-9161.
If you have questions or issues scheduling or rescheduling a COVID vaccination, please email: PHCovid19Response@summitcountyco.gov.
Thank you again for your diligence and partnership throughout this school year, and let’s do what we can to finish strong!