Dear AUHSD Parents & Guardians,
We hope you are having some relaxing time with your family, staying safe and maintaining good health, and anticipating a Happy New Year. With growing concern regarding the Omicron coronavirus variant, we are providing important health and safety updates before all return for the second semester on January 4. We offer a few updates below and will communicate again in the afternoon of January 2 with additional updates.
Be assured that we have been tracking the situation closely over the Break, working with our public health officials, and following their guidance and recommendations for the safe return. We are confident that our continued collective commitment to our risk-mitigating health and safety protocols will result in a safe and successful second semester.
COVID-19 Testing Available: We know that COVID-19 testing is a critically important safety strategy for our schools, particularly as all return from Winter Break. To that end, we are expanding our testing program.
As part of a State initiative, we will be providing take-home rapid antigen test kits to all students prior to the return to school. We anticipate receiving the kits tomorrow and will communicate on Sunday afternoon how they will be distributed at our school sites beginning on Monday.
Additionally, we will be expanding our Community Testing program with additional testing on Monday, January 3, and offering testing twice a week at the District Office through January from 11:00am - 4:30pm. Our K-8 partner districts have expanded testing as well. Information to sign-up and schedule an appointment at the District Office (and at the locations of our K-8 partner districts) can be found at the bottom of this AUHSD website.
K-12 Safety Guidance: We have received many inquiries about the recently updated CDC guidelines with regard to isolation and quarantine. Keep in mind that CDC is an advisory body. We will wait for changes in the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) guidance and requirements for schools before we change our protocol and procedures for isolation and quarantine in response to positive cases and exposure. We have been informed to expect changes in CDPH guidance very soon.
Again, we will follow up with some additional updates on Sunday afternoon.
Please have a safe and enjoyable New Years.
Sincerely,
John Nickerson
Superintendent
