H&S Newsletter
January 26, 2021
Acknowledgements
The Health and Safety Committee continues to work closely with the Whatcom County Health Department. We will maintain our mitigation protocols including, but not limited to; wearing face-coverings, having class sizes that allow for physical distancing, and frequent hand washing. 

With these policies in place, we have been advised to continue in-person learning and our slow, phased-in approach, knowing the community case numbers are high. There has been limited to no transmission in schools in Whatcom County and across the state since the start of the pandemic, according to Dr. Stern, our county Health Officer.
School Guidance DOH Update
The screening questions have been updated to align with the DOH Employer Screening guidance.

  • "Do you have any of the following symptoms within the last day that are not caused by another condition?
Fever (100.4F) or chills 
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Cough
Fatigue
Sore throat
Muscle or body aches
Congestion or runny nose
Headache
Nausea or vomiting
Recent loss of taste or smell
Diarrhea
  • Have you been in close contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19?
  • Have you had a positive COVID-19 test for active virus in the past 10 days, or are you awaiting results of a COVID-19 test?
  • Within the past 14 days, has a public health or medical professional told you to self-monitor, self-isolate, or self-quarantine because of concerns about COVID- 19 infection?
Staff or students who answer ‘yes’ to any questions should stay home or be sent home."

Read the full guidance here.

Community Spread
Please see the Whatcom County COVID-19 Dashboard for more information on community spread and rates of COVID-19 cases within our county.

In-Person Expansion
The Health and Safety Committee shared a communication with 2nd-8th grade families regarding the increase of in-person learning for these classes.

"In alignment with recommendations from the local Whatcom County Health Department, the Health and Safety Committee welcomes and supports the expansion of in-person learning for Grades 2-8 beginning January 25, 2021." 
Read the full letter here.

Health Officer Orders
Please view this link for the latest Health Officer Orders and Recommendations. There was a letter posted this week specifically related to schools.

“Research and experience have shown that if the required measures are taken to limit transmission of COVID-19, schools can safely phase in in-person instruction. This has been true even as communities experience elevated rates of infection.”
Updated Decision Tree
Kim Hankinson, the Whatcom County nurse liaison for schools states, “The Decision Tree got changed to “Tools”. This is a shift in framework. It is a resource to use to guide public health and school administrators in collaborative decision making, not a hard and fast number.”

Eating Practice
Whether indoors or outdoors, everyone must:
  • Be physically distanced (at least 6-ft),
  • Wash hands or sanitize before and after eating.
When indoors, everyone must also:
  • Be in a well ventilated space (ex. our own classrooms),
  • Keep the time short (under 15 minutes).
Important Note: The Early Childhood program has exceptions to some of these practices. Please email healthandsafety@whws.org with any questions about safety protocols in the EC program.

Type Of Exposure 
Knowing the type of exposure is important when deciding what time is best to test and if the situation was actually considered an exposure based on the guidance from the WA DOH and CDC. 
Absence That Relates to Illness or Exposure to COVID-19
Before returning to school after any exposure or illness, everyone must be cleared by the Health and Safety Coordinator. We do our best to close communication gaps, and we ensure everyone on campus goes through our screening process upon entry to WHWS.

Mask Reminder During Screening
During screening upon arrival, everyone in the car should wear masks whether they are a student or not. 

Communication Policy 
To maintain transparency while keeping confidentiality, the Health and Safety committee has a policy around communication of positive test results and exposures.
  1. If a student is quarantining because of a positive direct contact. The class will be notified via email.
  2. If a student tests positive. The class and whole school will be notified via email.
Important Note: If further actions are recommended by the Health Department, we will take those actions as well.

COVID-19 Vaccine
Sign up with the Phase Finder from WA DOH for more information on vaccine eligibility as we move through the phases of distribution.
Our Website
Check out our website for more information that relates to health and safety protocols at WHWS and resources for families and the wider community.