2022-2023 Covid Letter for Parents
Dear USD 429 Parent/Guardian:
This information is intended to help you understand the most recent CDC, KDHE, and County Health Department Guidance in dealing with a positive covid case or potential exposure. USD 429 will follow this guidance.
• Understand your child’s risk of getting very sick. Risk factors for becoming severely ill from COVID-19 include having a weakened immune systems or certain underlying health conditions and being older aged. Protective factors that can help reduce the risk of getting very sick with COVID-19 include vaccination, timely testing and treatment, and previous infection.
• Regularly monitor your children for symptoms of COVID-19.
• If your child is symptomatic, have them tested with a diagnostic test. If they test negative with an antigen test, keep your child home and retest in 24-48 hours to be sure.
Do not send your child to school if they are sick or if they test positive.
• Notify your school if your child tests positive.
• Understand that there are different factors that lower or increase Exposure Risk. For example, being in contact with an infected person for longer periods of time, during activities that involve heavy breathing, while the person was symptomatic, without the use of masks, being in poorly ventilated areas, and being in close proximity are all considered scenarios at higher risk for passing the disease from one person to another.
• If your child is exposed to COVID-19 outside of school, notify the school and consider enrolling your child in Test to Know if your school has a school testing program. If your school does not have a testing program, consider testing on Day 5 after exposure, or immediately if your child becomes symptomatic, and have your child mask wear a high quality, well-fitting mask when indoors around others at home and in public through Day 10. If your child cannot mask, consider testing your child more frequently. Free COVID-19 tests may be available at your local health department or through Project Act.
What to do when a student/teacher/staff tests positive:
• Students/teachers/staff who test positive for COVID-19 should stay home for at least 5 days and be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication before leaving home (minimum 5-day home isolation). After that, they may resume normal activities but should wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask indoors at home and in public while around others for an additional 5 days. If a mask cannot or will not be worn, isolation for 10 days is recommended.
• Schools can consider requiring student/teacher/staff who tested positive and have completed at least 5 days of home isolation to obtain a negative result on a rapid antigen test before returning to school. Review CDC’s isolation guidance for more details.
What to do in case of potential exposure:
• Anyone who was potentially exposed should watch for symptoms and wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask indoors around others for 10 full days, and test on day 5, or immediately if they have symptoms, (for close household contacts with potential ongoing exposure, mask while exposure is ongoing and for 10 full days after last exposure).
• Consider enrolling anyone not masking in Test to Know for more frequent testing. Current variants are more transmissible and able to evade immunity and infect persons who have previously had COVID-19 or have been vaccinated.
Sincerely,
Patrick McKernan Allisha Engemann Mike Estes
Superintendent of Schools Troy Grade School Principal Troy Middle/High School Principal