Oct. 15, 2021
Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,

This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Safe Schools for All Team announced some revisions and additions to their K-12 Schools Guidance 2021-2022 Questions & Answers. Please see specific changes and links below. 

Specifically:
  • No. 10 provides updated recommendations regarding testing during quarantine
  • No. 13 provides updated recommendations for a targeted approach to school-based contact tracing
  • No. 20 provides considerations when hosting dances and assemblies

The CDPH COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year was also updated to explicitly refer and link to the FAQ website within Section #8 on quarantine recommendations.

The San Diego County Office of Education team will work with the state to get clarity on if the revised answer on testing frequency applies to modified quarantine and return on day 8, or just modified quarantine. Likewise, we will consult with the County of San Diego to understand how the county will interpret the change on how to focus contact tracing. We will share updates when additional information is available.

Spanish COVID-19 Decision Tree
The Spanish version of the COVID-19 Decision Tree has been updated to reflect changes made in the English version last week.

School-Located Vaccine Event Webinar
School and school district personnel involved in or interested in school-located vaccine events are invited to learn about best practices in planning school-located vaccine events during a CDPH webinar on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, from noon to 1 p.m. The webinar will also provide an overview of the different approaches that can be used for school-located vaccination events and a discussion about potential partners. Register for the webinar.

Panelists will include representatives from Escondido Union High, Vallejo Unified, and Downey Unified school districts.

Questions can be directed to SchoolVaxTeam@cdph.ca.gov.

CDPH Video Series for Parents
The CDPH created a series of short animated videos to assist parents in understanding different aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The videos review:
  • Seven Tips for Safe Schools
  • How Parents Can Help Keep Schools Safe
  • The Importance of In-Person Learning
  • What to do if Your Child is Exposed to COVID-19

The videos are available on the English and Spanish "Parent" pages of the Safe Schools for All Hub.

Thank you for all that you do. As always, please reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Paul

Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641