Take the Panther Pledge: Commit to Health & Safety
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We need everyone's help to keep each other safe and in school. We have strong health and safety procedures in place at school based on policies that align with public health guidance (see Policy 565 and Policy 566).
Before coming to school, we need all students to complete the Panther Pledge/Daily Symptom Checklist each day. Please stay home when not feeling well or if someone in your household has a positive COVID-19 test. Print out the pledge and go through the checklist each day before coming to school. Click here for the Panther Pledge in Spanish.
Working Together to Stay in School
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We all have a role in working together to keep students in school. Please note the following things that each Phased Restart family must do to help with this effort:
- Starting immediately: Report any positive COVID-19 tests in your household and/or required student quarantines/exposure as of January 4 and continuing through the end of the school year. Doing this will allow us to ensure that we are following the proper timelines for cases and exposures as more students begin in-person learning. Please contact the OSD Attendance Line at 608-835-4000, Option #1 to report cases. You will be contacted by a school nurse with any questions.
- Before your first day of in-person instruction: Familiarize yourself with OSD health & safety policies and review school-specific logistics (Kindergarten - Grade 6 email sent 1/7; Grade 7-12 will be sent by 1/22).
- Starting your first day of in-person instruction & daily thereafter: Screen your student at home using the Panther Pledge / Daily Home Symptom Screener for each student before coming to school each day. If your student is not feeling well, they may not come to school.
Health & Safety Questions
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What health & safety measures does OSD have in place?
Health and safety is our top priority and we have strong procedures in our schools that align with public health guidance. Examples include maintaining physical distance wherever possible, wearing face coverings, hand washing protocols and enhanced cleaning procedures.
Please note that although students will have assigned seats and classrooms will be set up to maximize physical distance as much as possible, six feet of physical distance cannot be guaranteed. If a student tests positive COVID-19, those who sit within six feet of that student will be considered close contacts and required to quarantine.
See Board Policy 566 for more details.
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When should my student stay home from school?
Students should stay home if they feel ill. All students must complete the Daily Home Symptom Screener before coming to school each day.
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What if there is a positive COVID-19 case in my household?
Report any positive COVID-19 tests in your household and/or required student quarantines/exposure to OSD. Doing this will allow us to keep our school community as safe as possible. Please contact the OSD Attendance Line at 608-835-4000, Option #1 to report cases. You will be contacted by a school nurse with any questions.
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Are masks required in schools?
Per PHMDC Order #8 all students and staff must wear cloth masks that cover both the mouth and nose at all times while in the building. Students and staff must have their masks on when they arrive at school. If you do not have access to a mask one will be provided at schools and on buses.
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What kind of mask should my student wear to school?
Please ensure that your student has a mask that is two layers or more. Bandanas and fleece are not acceptable face coverings. Each school has masks available for students who need them. Visit the CDC Guide to Masks for more details on masks.
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Will students eat at school?
Phased Restart students in grades K-6 will eat lunch at school. Please see Grade K-6 section above for details.
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How does contact tracing work when there is a positive case?
When a case of COVID-19 is reported, we begin by having a conversation with the person who tested positive (or a parent/guardian if it is a student). During that conversation we talk about when their symptoms started or when they tested positive if they aren’t showing symptoms.
Next, we talk about who they may have had close contact with at school (we are required to notify any close contacts with the person who tested positive that occurred at school or on the school bus).
Once we have identified close contacts from school, we call those people and let them know they may have been exposed to COVID-19. This does not mean that the close contact has COVID-19 or will get it; however, PHMDC advises that close contacts must self-quarantine for at least 14-days after the last contact with the person and continue to monitor themselves for symptoms.
See Board Policy 565 for additional details. -
What is the definition of a close contact?
A close contact is defined by the CDC and PHMDC as:
- Being within 6 feet of an infected person for a prolonged period (15 minutes or more) starting from 48 hours before illness onset (or if no symptoms, 48 hours before the date of the test).
- Direct physical contact with a positive COVID-19 case (for example, a hug, kiss, or handshake);
- Contact with a positive COVID-19 case respiratory secretions (for example, coughed or sneezed on; contact with a dirty tissue; shared a drinking glass, food, towels, or other personal items; or
- Live with a positive COVID-19 case or stayed overnight for at least one night in a household with them.
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How will COVID-19 cases be communicated?
When a case of COVID-19 occurs, we are required to notify any close contacts with the person who tested positive that occurred at school or on the school bus.
To be as transparent as possible while also providing relevant information to those who need it:
- Close Contact Notification - If your child is identified to have been in close contact with an individual (student or staff member) who has tested positive for COVID-19, parents will be notified by the school nurse. If you do not receive this Close Contact Notification, your child has not been in close contact with the individual who has tested positive.
- Classroom Notification - a classroom notification will be sent if there is a positive case in your student’s classroom and the individual was present in the classroom within the period as defined by the CDC and PHMDC (48 hours before illness onset - or if no symptoms, 48 hours before the date of the test). If the individual testing positive was not present during this time, a notification will not be sent to the classroom.
- School / Bus Notification - we will send a general notification when there is a positive COVID-19 case in your student’s school building or on their school bus. General school notification letters are posted on the Messages for Families portion of our website.
- District Dashboard - we will publish an overall District data dashboard.The dashboard shows current active cases and is updated each Friday.
Additional Sources of Guidance
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The following sources informed our reopening plan. We will be specifically following guidance from Public Health Madison & Dane County. This guidance may differ from other states and counties within Wisconsin.
- Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC)
- WI Department of Health Services
- Center for Disease Control (CDC)
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- Department of Public Instruction (DPI)
- Harvard Schools for Health
- Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools