Introduction
Below you will find the most updated iteration of our COVID policies. Our school policies follow all state (CDPH) and county (Yolo County Health Department) guidelines and regulations. Our goal for this year is to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of our students and employees and to provide a comprehensive learning program that supports the development of the ‘whole child’. We offer this guide so that our community may remain informed. We want to acknowledge that the COVID pandemic is ever-changing and updates to our plan may occur as necessary to reflect new information or government mandates. Main changes from our previous 2.26.22 update are bolded for your convenience. 
Health Screenings
Last year, the school utilized an app to support the screening of employees and students. This year we ask all families and employees to continue screening at home without the use of the School Wellness Screener app. By stepping onto campus you are affirming you are in good health and free of the common COVID symptoms:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

If an employee or student has ongoing symptoms of COVID (runny nose from allergies, cough from asthma, etc.), they may continue attending school provided they submit a letter from their medical provider that the symptoms are from a known condition and are not COVID related.

Face Coverings
A cloth face covering is a 2-layer (minimum) material that covers the nose and mouth. It may also contain a filter. It can be secured with ties or straps around the ears or head, or simply wrapped around the lower face. It can be made of a variety of materials, such as cotton, silk, or linen.

Face Coverings for Students and Staff
The Davis Waldorf School will follow state and local public health guidelines that no longer require masks indoors for students and staff members. Masking is still an important mitigation measure and is strongly recommended by the Davis Waldorf School and public health officials for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. Students and staff should bring masks daily in case the need arises. Masks are available in the office if needed. Per teacher requests, masks will be worn during Strings and Spanish classes. Masks will still be worn indoors by adults participating in the parent-child program.

Face Coverings for Others
During pick up, when parents are on campus for 15 minutes or less and outdoors, masks will be optional. If time will be spent inside the classroom at drop off or pick up, then a mask is required.

Masks are required for visitors on campus. Masks are optional for mentors, guest teachers and volunteers on campus and outdoors with a negative test performed within 7 days. Masks are always required for mentors, visitors, guest teachers and volunteers when indoors on campus. Please see the field trip section for information on chaperones.

Face Coverings at Events
Face covering guidelines will be sent prior to major events or festivals and will be based on the characteristics and nature of the event. Our Annual Auction on April 9th will be outside on campus and masks will be optional. Masks will be required for audience members attending our 8th grade presentations in our multipurpose room on March 16-18th.

Volunteers and Field Trips
Volunteers are required to test weekly. Both at home antigen (rapid) tests and PCR tests are acceptable. Please write the name and date on at home tests and be prepared to share a photo of the test when signing in at the office. Masks are optional for volunteers who will be working outside.

Carpool 
Masks are strongly recommended to be worn by both students and drivers on field trips. Drivers on day trips who have not taken a test in the last 72 hours are required to wear a mask while indoors and in cars. Chaperones, who have taken a test in the last 72 hours, are not required to wear a mask indoors or while driving.

Testing for Overnight Field Trips
We recommend students take a COVID test 72 hours (or less) before the first day of a trip. If students are sleeping in the same tent with other students/chaperones, we require the students to take a COVID test 72 hours (or less) before the first day of the trip, and to provide negative test results from said test prior to the trip. DWS is able to provide group testing for classes prior to a trip with notice.

Chaperones for Overnights
Because of the nature of an overnight field trip, all chaperones are required to provide a negative test result that was taken within 72 hours of the first day of a trip prior to departure. PCR testing is strongly recommended. Masking is strongly recommended outside of times spent eating or sleeping.
One Way Masking
We understand that some families are most comfortable with continued masking and may have questions around masking protection when others in the same room are not masking. In the beginning of the pandemic masking was described as a method to protect the individual and those around them; however, with better masks which are now readily available, Dr. Sisson shares single masking also provides a high degree of protection. For more information on one way masking and how to ensure your mask has a sufficient seal, please watch the video below.
Isolation Guidelines for a Positive Case or Exposure Outside of School
*To be considered fully vaccinated last shot of a two series vaccine must be at least 14 days prior. There is no booster requirement for individuals under 18. For individuals 18 and over, the requirement is to be fully up to date with vaccination, meaning the individual has received a booster if they are booster eligible.

While the chart is extensive, it doesn’t cover all scenarios, so please inform the school of your child’s situation as soon as possible and we will share the requirements. At times, the Davis Waldorf School may decide to follow a stricter policy than the county requires, such as requiring vaccinated individuals in the same household to quarantine for a period before coming on campus. This is done to support the rest of the class in remaining healthy and to minimize further disruption to school and your child’s learning. 

Vaccination Records
As guidelines vary based on vaccination status, we ask parents to submit your child's vaccination card to our Registrar.

Testing
We strongly recommend individuals test at the end of spring break prior to returning to school.

We recommend all employees test once a week regardless of vaccination status. Unvaccinated employees are required to test weekly. Testing is an important mitigation measure and shortens periods of absence. We encourage students to test weekly as well.

At-home Antigen (Rapid) Tests are accepted for students if: 
  1. The parent verifies that their student was the one who tested
  2. That they followed manufacturers’ instructions 
  3. If a photo of the test with the date and child’s name or initials are written on it is submitted to registrar@daviswaldorf.org

All staff at home tests are required by CDPH to be observed by a supervisor.

Antigen testing on site will be available based on need and staff availability. Class parents, please check in with the office when arranging a large class event if volunteers are hoping to test on campus so we may support testing. Rapid tests were provided to schools for free through a CDPH program which requires logging test results into Primary Health. If you would like to test on campus, but haven't registered, you can do it here.

We do suggest families take advantage of PCR testing in our community as much as possible. PCR testing is more sensitive and we have found it to be more accurate at the beginning of an illness when viral load may be too low to be captured by an Antigen test. Testing appointments are again readily available through Healthy Davis Together and wait times are short with an appointment.

Positive Cases
If your student or any member of your family tests positive, please notify the office immediately using registrar@daviswaldorf.org. Cori will inform you of quarantine periods and testing requirements. We will notify classes of any positive case that was on campus during their infectious window. 

Exposures outside of School require families (students, staff and parents) to follow the Non-School Non-Healthcare Decision Tree.
Group Contact Tracing
Prior to the development of Group Contact Tracing, the focus has been on individual contact tracing. Individual contact tracing requires significant resources. As you know the decision tree and identifying who the “close contacts” are is complex, and it can be challenging to be completely accurate. To mitigate this challenge, CDPH has provided schools with the ability to group contact trace. Any student who has spent 15 minutes or more in the same inside room with the positive individual is considered a close contact and is required to test 3-5 days after the exposure in order to continue attending school. Families who choose not to test will need to quarantine for 10 days from exposure.

Staff members are unable to use Group Tracing and must follow the School Staff Decision Tree for on campus exposures.
Returning to campus
After an exposure or a positive case individuals must follow a stronger mask regimen for days 6-10. Individuals must wear a high quality and well-fitted mask inside through day 10. Masks may not be removed inside for any reason.

After an Illness
Students and staff may return with a negative test, improved symptoms and so long as they have gone over 24 hours without a fever or fever reducing medication. At the beginning of an illness the viral load may be too low to detect Covid with rapid test. If you test at symptom onset and continue to not feel well enough to return to school, it is recommended by Dr. Sisson that you test again 1-3 days after initial test.

International Travel
After International travel, we ask families to be extra vigilant and look out for COVID symptoms. We highly encourage testing after all travel, including domestic travel. We ask unvaccinated individuals to follow CDC guidance and quarantine themselves from school for 5 days after returning from international travel. The day of travel is considered day 0. Unvaccinated students may return to school on day 6 along with a negative test that was performed on or after the 3rd day.

If you recovered from a documented COVID-19 infection within the past 90 days (regardless of vaccination status), you do NOT need to get a test 3-5 days after travel. You also do not need to self-quarantine after travel. Please provide the school with documentation of your prior infection.

The CDC recommends has changed their recommendations for unvaccinated individuals after domestic travel. Please see their complete recommendation here.

Sports and Music

Sports
Masks are required indoors at all times for teachers, referees, officials, coaches, and spectators. Masks are also required indoors for players while on the sidelines. If masks are not worn while playing, it is strongly recommended that individuals undergo screening testing at least once weekly. An FDA-approved antigen test, PCR test, or pooled PCR test is acceptable for evaluation of an individual's COVID-19 status.


Music
As per CDPH guidelines, the playing of musical instruments that cannot be done with a face covering (e.g., wind instruments) will occur outdoors or indoors with a bell cover. Masked singing may occur indoors.
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Davis Waldorf School
3100 Sycamore Lane Davis, CA 95616
(530)-753-1651