Health and Safety Updates for the 2022-2023 School Year
Guidance continues to be updated to reflect the changes in the pandemic but below are some excerpts from the FAQs sheet from Alameda County Department of Public Health as of 8/12/22.
Try not to expose your students to experiences that might put your students at risk for contracting COVID. If your student has traveled or been exposed to high exposure activities (sports, festivals, large family gatherings, etc) less than 10 days before school begins on August 22, we ask families to use at-home antigen tests or healthcare provider PCR tests to test their students before the first day of school. If your student tests positive, keep your student home and contact the school office and we will make sure to let your classroom teacher know.
What do I do if my child has COVID symptoms or tests positive?
- The most important thing is to keep your child home and get them tested using a home antigen test or if they have NOT been positive within the last 90 days, a PCR test from a healthcare provider.
- All student, faculty/staff, or volunteer positive cases must be reported to the school office to prepare close contact letters and masking expectations and to help mitigate the spread of COVID in the school.
- Assumption School reports all positive cases on campus to the State of California’s COVID 19 reporting system.
What do I do if my child was exposed to someone with COVID?
- Those who have been exposed but do not have symptoms can attend school.
- Anyone who has been exposed should wear a mask when around others for 10 days after the last day of exposure.
- If your child develops symptoms, keep them home and test.
- If your child never develops symptoms, they should test 3 - 5 days after their last exposure (or if in the same household, test every few days)
Guidance for if your child has symptoms, tests positive, or was exposed, click here.
What about mask wearing?
Alameda County has determined when COVID is circulating around the community at high rates (like the current Summer Surge) or when there are high risk conditions, that masks are highly recommended in all indoor settings and most outdoor settings. Assumption School will highly recommend mask wearing at all times but will only require masks indoors during ACDPH’s recommended Mask Seasons. We are currently in a mask season.
How important is cleaning surfaces for preventing the spread of COVID?
- The virus that causes COVID can land on surfaces. But the risk of infection from touching surfaces is low.
- We will continue to have a schedule for students to wash hands using soap and water in our bathrooms OR use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Assumption School continues to use our janitorial service to clean our facility daily.
- Teachers (who have requested from families to supply Clorox wipes) will use Clorox Wipes regularly to clean desks.
- Masking and air ventilation continue to be more important than cleaning surfaces so Assumption School will still have a policy of keeping all windows and doors open during the school day and our portable air purifiers running inside the classrooms.
Will Assumption School require vaccinations for COVID 19?
- All faculty and staff are required to be vaccinated for COVID 19 as directed by the Diocese of Oakland.
- The CDC has determined that the benefits of vaccinations far outweigh the risks and are highly recommended for all individuals.. You can read more here. California and Alameda County Department of Public Health are encouraging anyone qualified to receive the most updated COVID 19 vaccination recommendations (including boosters).
- Assumption School is currently not including COVID 19 vaccinations as the required childhood vaccinations per the CDPH. Please be sure that all required vaccinations are up to date.
- Volunteers in most situations will be asked for either proof of updated vaccinations (including boosters) and/or proof of a negative COVID test within 24 hours of service. Both can be turned into the school office to be kept on file.
Will Assumption School continue to offer opt-in weekly COVID testing like last year?
We are currently waiting to hear from the State of California to see if this opportunity for onsite weekly testing will be made available. At home testing is currently available from many sources. More to come.
Can visitors come to campus to watch school events?
We welcome our families and friends to come and be a part of our school community!
- If symptom-free, visitors are welcome to attend school events like morning assembly, school Masses, or other school events when not directly working with students.
- We ask that all visitors abide by masking requirements as needed.
- For school events on campus except morning assembly, we ask parents to sign into the school office which will include a basic health screen.
We are so excited to provide a robust in-person experience for our students and families this year including a return to our Annual School Festival, Auction, and various other activities once impacted over the last two years by the pandemic.