1. Check symptoms using the Panther Pledge checklist and stay home as directed:

2. Determine your approach for returning to school

Students experiencing COVID-19 symptoms may return to school after one of the following:

• Get a COVID-19 PCR test: (see free testing locations)

• Negative test - student may return to school provided their symptoms are improving and they provide test results to attendance school staff 
• Positive test - student may return on day 6 (day 0 is onset of symptoms)

NOTE: Per Public Health Madison & Dane County, we are now able to accept results of rapid tests administered at a testing site.  We are not able to accept an over-the-counter test taken at home.

Because your student has symptoms, they may also be eligible to test at no cost through our partnership with ORCHARDS by calling 608-265-3164. There are safe distribution and pickup procedures in place and your family will receive a $50 gift card for participating.

• Stay home for 5 days (no COVID-19 test): Students may return to school on day 6 (day 0 is the onset of symptoms) provided their symptoms are improving and they have been fever-free without the use of medication.
• Visit a physician and receive a diagnosis other than COVID-19: Students may return with a  note from their medical provider indicating a diagnosis other than COVID-19 and after they have completed treatment (e.g., strep throat - may return after being on antibiotics 24 hrs and feeling well to be in school).  

3. Report the absence and return plan by calling 608-835-4000, Option #1

To be as efficient as possible, please state the following information in your message (a school staff member will contact you with information about instruction while your student is absent):

• Your student’s first and last name
• Your name and phone number
• All symptoms your student is experiencing on the Panther Pledge checklist (e.g., my student is experiencing a cough and a sore throat)
• Your planned approach at this time for returning to school (e.g., I plan to get a test)

My student is feeling sick - Printable

1. Keep your student home from school

You may return on day 6; the date of your test or the date symptoms started (whichever occurs first) is day 0.  

IF all of the following are true:

• It has been 24 hours without a fever (without fever-reducing medicine), 
• Your symptoms are resolving;
• You feel well enough to be at school; AND
• You wear a well-fitting mask at all times indoors, except for approved lunch or mask breaks where you are at least 6 feet from others. 

2. Report the positive test by calling 608-835-4000, Option #1

To be as efficient as possible, please state the following information in your message (a school staff member will contact you with information about instruction while your student is absent):

• Your student’s first and last name
• Your name and phone number
• The date of the positive test result
• The date symptoms started (if symptomatic)

3. Work with our OSD contact tracers to determine if other household members need to stay home from school / work 

4. Work with teachers / staff on instruction plan

A school staff member will follow up with you to discuss plans for your student’s instruction during the quarantine time period.

5. Work with staff members to identify close contacts

A school staff member will be in contact with you to determine any additional close contacts.

My student has tested positive for COVID-19 - Printable

If there is a positive COVID-19 case in your household, students may only come to school if:

1. They are fully vaccinated and have no symptoms OR
2. They had COVID-19 within the last 90 days and are well enough to otherwise attend school (such as fever-free for 24 hours without medication).

If your student is not fully vaccinated or is experiencing symptoms regardless of vaccination status they may not come to school.

Below is the guidance as of 1/5/2022 for those who are close contacts to someone testing positive for COVID-19.

Quarantine is required if any of the following are true:

• Student has developed COVID-19 symptoms (regardless of vaccination status).
• Student is unvaccinated.
• Student is not fully vaccinated
  • Ages 5-17: Full vaccination for means having completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Ages 18+: Full vaccination means having completed the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR having completed the primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months. 

Quarantine is not required if you don't have any COVID-19 symptoms and one of the following is true:

• You are age 18 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people.

• You are age 5-17 years and completed the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

• You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (you tested positive using a viral test).

1. Work with OSD contact tracers to determine quarantine timeline and school return date: 

• If your student does not develop symptoms, they may return on day 6 if they continue to be symptom free. 
• If your student develops symptoms, they need to stay home for at least 5 days from the start of symptoms. The day symptoms started is day 0.
• If you want your student to be tested, you can find information on testing locations here: Public Health Madison & Dane County or Center for COVID Control

NOTE: students who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine unless they have symptoms.

2. Monitor symptoms using the Panther Pledge symptom checklist:

3. Work with teachers / staff on instruction plan

A school staff member will follow up with you to discuss plans for your student’s instruction during the quarantine time period.

4. If unable to return at end of quarantine due to symptoms, call 608-835-4000, Option #1

To be as efficient as possible, please state the following information in your message (a school staff member will contact you with information about instruction while your student is absent):

• Your student’s first and last name
• Your name and phone number
• All symptoms your student is experiencing on the Panther Pledge checklist (e.g., my student is experiencing a cough and a sore throat)

My student needs to quarantine - Printable

Families may complete or update their student's COVID-19 vaccination information by completing the vaccination update form:

• COVID-19 Vaccination Update Form - English
• COVID-19 Vaccination Update Form - Spanish

The Oregon School District offers free drive-thru PCR testing for OSD students, families and staff. Registration is required. Visit OregonSD.org/testing for details. 

There also many locations that offer free COVID-19 testing. You may search for a location via Public Health Madison & Dane County or Center for COVID Control. Make sure to complete any required documentation and call for an appointment at your selected testing location prior to arriving for a test. 

In addition to those testing sites, your family may be eligible to participate in the UW Oregon Child Absenteeism due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS).  This study is looking at household transmission of COVID-19, Influenza and other respiratory viruses.  If eligible, research staff will drop off study materials outside of your home for completing 3 nasal swab collections over a 2 week period. Each set of swabs will be picked up after collection and transported to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene for testing.  Since this is a research study, results may not be received as quickly as they would be at the sites listed above.  Your family will receive $50 for participating in this study.  Call the study line at 608-265-3164 for more details.

For your convenience, we are offering free COVID-19/Influenza testing at school in our health office by our trained nurses and health paraprofessionals for students who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school. Should your student come to the health room when not feeling well, we will contact you to pick your student up from school, and then perform the test if you have provided this consent during the Annual Online Registration process in August. Students who develop symptoms outside of school should get a test outside of school.    

The COVID-19 test involves using a small swab (similar to a cotton swab) and swirling it in both nostrils.  Two swabs will be collected (one for rapid testing at school and one that will be sent to the WI State Lab of Hygiene for confirmatory testing (PCR test). 

You can find more information about the e  SARS-CoV-2 /  Influenza A & B rapid test here: EUA-quidel-S2flucovidrapid-patient.pdf and the SARS-CoV-2 / Influenza PCR test here: EUA-CDC-Multiplex-patient flucovid pcr.pdf

Below is our communication process for positive COVID-19 case notifications. Our goal is to be as transparent as possible while providing information that is relevant to families.  

1. Quarantine Notification - If your child is required to quarantine, parents/guardians will be notified by the school nurse or contact tracer. If you are not notified, your student is not required to quarantine or otherwise stay home unless they are experiencing symptoms. 
2. Classroom / Bus Notification - a classroom and/or bus notification will be sent via email if there is a positive case in your student’s classroom / bus and the individual was present 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.   
3. District Dashboard - active and cumulative positive COVID-19 cases will be listed on our data dashboard, which can be found at OregonSD.org/dashboard.

If your student is experiencing respiratory symptoms, your family may be eligible to participate in the UW Oregon Child Absenteeism due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS). This study is looking at household transmission of COVID-19, Influenza and other respiratory viruses. If eligible, research staff will drop off study materials outside of your home for completing 3 nasal swab collections over a 2 week period. Each set of swabs will be picked up after collection and transported to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene for testing. Since this is a research study, results may not be received as quickly as they would be at general testing sites. Your family will receive $50 for participating in this study. Call the study line at 608-265-3164 for more details.

COVID-19 vaccines are availble for everyone ages 5 and older: schedule a vaccine

Visit OregonSD.org/health.

Quarantines are not required in a situation where both a person testing positive and a close contact were wearing masks. 

View the full guidance for close contacts and quarantining here.

Here is the most recent CDC guidance on masks, which includes information on how to properly fit a mask, mask types, and how to clean and store masks.

The guidance stresses that you should choose a well-fitting and comfortable mask or respirator that your child can wear properly. A poorly fitting or uncomfortable mask or respirator might be worn incorrectly or removed often, and that would reduce its intended benefits.