Important COVID Changes Coming Tuesday
New Group Testing for COVID to Better Protect Students
Based
on new guidelines from the California Department of Public Health and in the wake of the current Omicron surge, SBCUSD is updating our procedures to better protect students and ease parent concerns.
Starting Tuesday, January 25, 2022, we will implement group testing for COVID. Currently, our COVID liaisons perform contact tracing for each positive COVID case in our schools. It takes time to interview those involved and determine
who does and doesn’t need testing. With group testing, when there’s a confirmed COVID case in a school, the COVID liaison or appropriate school staff will test all of the students who share a class or other indoor space with
that student. This will help us get COVID-positive students home to rest and recover and COVID-negative students back to their classrooms for vital instructional time.
To further ease the burden on families, all students will be automatically enrolled in the group testing protocol. Families will not need to provide verbal permission for each group test.
Families do have the option to opt-out for their child. If you opt-out of group testing, your child will not be permitted to remain at school when group testing is required. They must be picked up immediately and follow the at-home quarantine
timeline.
A COVID-19 Group Testing Opt-Out Form is being sent home to families. Only complete the form if you want your child to opt out. If you want your child to participate in group testing, you don’t need to do anything.
SBCUSD still requires all students, staff, and visitors to wear a face covering at all times indoors. Students should stay home if they are experiencing any COVID symptoms or if they or a household member has tested positive for COVID.
Please report any illness or positive test to your child’s school.
If we all work together, we can keep our schools open, maintain high standards of teaching and learning, and stay safe.