Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we educate students during a pandemic. Even with consistently implementing all recommended safety measures, all schools are exposed to positive COVID cases. This is a fairly common occurrence in schools throughout Douglas County, the state and nation. Below is the process that occurs when a school is impacted. Please familiarize yourself with these practices in the event this situation occurs again.
When a positive case is confirmed, the District sends all families an email informing them. School administrators then work with the District’s nursing team and Tri County Health to identify all individuals who have been in contact with the positive individual for more than 15 minutes. This process is referred to as contact tracing. At the elementary level we use the standard identification process. Students and staff in contact are traced back 48 hours from when the positive individual first demonstrated symptoms. This process is slightly different for students in elementary school than for students in middle and high school. Click here for District communication specifying the different tracing methods.
Students and staff identified in the contact tracing process receive a second District letter that states they are quarantined for 14 days (weekends included). Only individuals that had close contact with the positive person are quarantined. Sometimes a quarantine occurs due to a person having covid-like symptoms. An example is if someone has a loss of taste or smell.
Siblings and other family members are not impacted and can come to school. If you have more than one child at Gold Rush please know that the District letter does not clearly specify which child is impacted. You will therefore receive follow up communication from the school indicating which child is affected.
If your child is quarantined, Gold Rush will send you a third letter describing how your child will learn remotely. Click here for a sample of our school’s learning letter. You will then receive an email from your child’s teacher outlining your son or daughter’s individual schedule.
We then organize a pick up of additional learning materials, including math books and reading texts. We are asking that all families send in a pillow case that is labeled with your child’s first and last name and the teachers’ last name. We are also sending all devices home each day K-5. Again, these proactive measures will allow us to be prepared.
Here are a few parent tips.
· Brainstorm childcare options in the event that your child is quarantined
· Refrain from sending your child to school if he/she is not feeling well
Again this process is being communicated in an effort to be proactive and prepared. If you have any questions please feel free to contact the school office. As always we appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
