Colorado Charter School Institute
1600 N Broadway, Ste. 1250, Denver, CO 80202
303-866-3299 | www.csi.state.co.us
COVID-19: Updates & Guidance
February 19, 2021
 
Dear School Leaders,
 
The next School Leader Update Call will take place on Monday, February 22 at 1:00pm. Call-in information will remain the same as it has been. Calls will take place on the following upcoming dates:
  • Monday, February 22 at 1:00pm
  • Monday, March 8 at 1:00pm

This newsletter includes information on:
  • Vaccine Survey
  • Updated Guidance for Organized Sports
  • Mask Hygiene Practices
  • Updated CDC Guidance for Schools and Child Care Programs
  • COVID-19 Response Resources
  • COVID-19 Vaccine Resources
  • BinaxNow COVID-19 At-Home Test
  • Mental Health Support Resources
  • and more!
Complete Vaccine Survey by Friday, February 19
In order to identify gaps and with a mission to vaccinate 100% of the state's frontline education staff, CDPHE is asking public school districts, BOCES, charter schools and private schools to fill out a teaming vaccination survey by Friday, February 19. The Joint Vaccine Task Force can then use the information to identify gaps and find opportunities to vaccinate as many educators as possible, as fast as possible. Read more here
Updated Guidance for Organized Sports
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has updated its guidance for organized sports. Additionally, the Colorado High School Activities Association has released corresponding FAQs about Season B guidelines. 
CDE has updated its Planning for the 2020-21 School Year Toolkit with these materials. View the toolkit archive here.
Mask Hygiene Practices
  • Masks should be laundered on a daily basis (if reusable) or thrown away after use (if disposable). If your mask becomes soiled or hard to breathe through, you should remove and not wear again until laundered. (CDPHE)
  • How to store and wash masks (CDC)
  • Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth when putting on and taking off your face covering. Hold the mask by the corners and avoid touching the front or back of it. Wash your hands before putting your mask on and right after you remove it. (CDPHE)
  • Cloth masks should be carefully folded so that the outer surface is held inward and against itself to reduce contact with the outer surface during storage. The folded mask can be stored between uses in a clean sealable paper bag or breathable container. Store your mask with your personal items. (CDPHE)
  • In cold weather, masks may become wet from breathing, snow, or other precipitation. Change a mask when it becomes wet. A wet mask is harder to breathe through, is less efficient at preventing your respiratory droplets from reaching others, and allows for more respiratory droplets to escape around the edges of the mask. It is especially important to have one or more replacement masks during cold weather. If your reusable mask becomes wet, put it in a sealed plastic bag until you can wash it. (CDC)
  • Masks should not have holes or tears. (CDPHE)
  • Masks should not be shared with others. (CDPHE)
Updated CDC Guidance for Schools and Child Care Programs
CDPHE is reviewing the recently released Centers for Disease Control operational guidance for schools and child care programs. Coloradoans will need to continue following Colorado Specific CDPHE Guidance and CDE Reopening Schools Guidance. As CDPHE reviews the new CDC guidance they may need to adjust Colorado-specific guidance accordingly.  
COVID-19 Response Resources from the U.S. Department of Education's Regional Educational Laboratories
In response to COVID-19, the 10 U.S. Department of Education-funded Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) have collaborated to produce a series of evidence-based resources and information about teaching and learning in a remote environment, as well as other considerations brought by the pandemic. A full list of resources is available on the REL COVID-19 webpage. Topics include: Accountability, English Language Learners, Postsecondary Education and Transitions, Students with Disabilities, Teacher Workforce and Preparation, and more.
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources

CSI has compiled the known COVID-19 vaccine providers and contacts in CSI’s COVID-19 Guidelines and Resources document. Check out page 2 of this document for statewide and regional vaccination resources.  
BinaxNOW COVID-19 At-Home Test
  • CDPHE holds weekly office hours at 2:00pm on Thursdays to provide updates and answer questions about the state’s plan to distribute BinaxNow at-home COVID-19 tests directly to the homes of educators, staff and selected students from public school districts, charter schools, private schools and BOCES. Click here to join. Join by phone: +1 828-352-2791 (PIN: 800887735).
  • CDPHE has published a list of At-Home COVID-19 Testing FAQ’s, which includes information about potential cost sharing of BinaxNow tests between CDPHE and schools.  
  • Your school can enroll into the Binax At-Home pilot program by submitting this form to CDPHE.
Mental Health Support Resources
Expanded mental health resources to support school staff and the greater school community can now be found on CSI’s Mental Health Resource webpage. Resources provide supports for the following areas: Mental Health During COVID-19, Resources for School Staff, Resources for Students and Families, and Talking to Kids About Traumatic Events. Spanish-language support resources are available through this site. New to this site are resources from Partners for Children’s Mental Health and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, which includes “After Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools”.
Update Calls for School Leaders
The next call for school leaders will take place on Monday, February 22. School leaders have been emailed the call-in information for the School Leader Calls - the call-in information will remain the same. Please email Amanda Oberg with any questions.

Materials referenced on the call will be posted in the "Weekly Update Call Materials" section of the Coronavirus Updates Google Doc. A section has been added to the Google Doc for COVID-19 Vaccination Distribution Resources.
CSI School Support Contacts
Every CSI school has been assigned a CSI Support Contact. Please notify your support contact if you have a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case, quarantine a cohort, or have a school closure. Click here for a list of support contacts including mobile phone numbers.
PPE Purchasing
Prior to purchasing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to promote the health and safety of your school community fill out the survey here or contact Amanda Karger, CSI's Director of Finance, to inquire about purchasing PPE for your school through Colorado's PPE purchasing cooperative. Purchasing through this cooperative may save your school money.
Continue to check the CSI Coronavirus Updates webpage.
Please contact Michael McManus with any health-related questions. 
Please contact CSI Communications with any communication- or closure-related updates.