The health and safety of our students, staff and families is of utmost importance. We will continue to be vigilant to limit the transmission of COVID-19.
2022-23 School Year COVID Protocols
Again, this year will be different from the last two pandemic years. As we are learning to live with COVID, guidance from Santa Clara County Department of Public Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health has changed as well. MVWSD’s response for the 2022-23 school year is based on this guidance and our desire to present to our families and staff members the resources and information needed to decrease COVID’s impact on our health and well-being.
COVID is still present in our community. With your support, MVWSD will work to manage this disease in sustainable and adaptive ways while continuing to provide resources to support healthy learning environments.
MVWSD’s 2022-23 COVID plan highlights are:
Updated Aug. 18, 2022
As Aug. 18, our local COVID transmission rates have dropped below the “high” category as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As we’ve stated earlier this month in our COVID guidelines, reaching this threshold means our masking protocol can change.
Masking is now recommended but is not required for students and staff.
Our mitigation strategies such as hand washing/ sanitizing, cleaning protocols and high-quality air filtration will continue. Sick individuals who test positive or are symptomatic should mask and be isolated.
Specialized instrument masks were distributed for optional use by students playing wind instruments.
Aug. 8, 2022 (updated Feb. 16, 2023)
Masking is required indoors for students and staff (Details below)
* Recommended (but no required) at indoors large events (assemblies, concerts, etc)
* Required Recommended in buses
*
Required for students participating in wind instrument or choral music
* Required Recommended for visitors and volunteers.
* Our mitigation strategies such as hand washing/ sanitizing, cleaning protocols and high-quality air filtration will continue.
* Sick individuals who test positive or are symptomatic should mask and be isolated for 5 days (after positive test/onset of symptoms) or more (see more information below).
* No on-campus, pooled testing program for students and staff this year. The state is no longer supporting/recommending this program for all California schools. Instead, students will bring home rapid antigen tests for use before returning from school breaks. Without in-school testing, MVWSD’s online Pooled Testing COVID Case Dashboard will not be available.
* MURs will be open for meal distribution to students. Outdoor seating areas will be maximized for eating times. Physical distancing during lunch is not required (but is good practice), and could be reinstated as a requirement by the principal in the case of high transmission rates.
* Students who play aerosol-generating instruments (including recorders) in grades 4-8 and participate in singing/choir will be required to use bell covers (MVWSD provided) and regular masks for vocal music (student provided). Specialized instrument masks are optional. (Details below)
* Parents and children who are not in class may be on campus inside the fences until the bell rings at the start of the day, and can return to campus inside the fences after the dismissal bell rings.
* Volunteer guidelines remain in effect. Frequent volunteers are required recommended to mask and required to apply to receive a badge and submit proof of COVID vaccination. For details, click here.
COVID Isolation for Students
Keep your children home if they have any symptoms and get them tested for COVID-19.
If your child's test is negative, he/she may return to school 24 hours after fever ends.
If your child's test is positive, your child should stay isolated at home for 5 days since symptoms began AND at least 24 hours after fever resolves and other symptoms improve. Click on “Absence” at the top of your school's website to log your student's positive Covid test. He/ She should wear a mask for 10 days when around others. Students should test at home on Day 5 and stay at home until they test negative or reach day 10.
If your child is sick or needs to quarantine, please contact your child’s teacher to get missed assignments. Our schools are not offering concurrent, online instruction to students at home.
All household members of the COVID-19 case should monitor for symptoms, and get tested 3-5 days after potential exposure. Instructions on how to isolate and quarantine can be found at sccstayhome.org. Anyone who develops COVID-like symptoms needs to be tested right away.
COVID Tests
Parents are no longer required to submit COVID test results in order for students to return to school after their positive case. As a result of infrequent and self-reported case data, the online MVWSD COVID Case Dashboard will not be available this year. However, detailed, county-wide data is available here.
Students will not be required to present a negative COVID test result before starting school. However, MVWSD will provide at-home rapid tests for students to take the night before Day 2 of school. As supplies allow, MVWSD will provide at-home rapid tests to families to administer before returning to school after breaks throughout the school year. We strongly encourage families who have either been traveling or are concerned about a potential exposure to get tested as a preventative measure.
Click here to learn more about how and when and where to get tested.
Visitors and Trips (updated Feb. 16, 2023)
* After school PTA / School activities are permitted on campus.
* Indoor masking is recommended (not required) for spectators at events, both indoor and outdoor.
* Indoor/in-vehicle masking on school trips is recommended (not required).
* School visitors and volunteers are recommended to wear masks and required to present proof of baseline COVID vaccination when checking into the office.
Mitigation strategies
* Physical barriers at reception desks and library desks will be removed. Student desk shields will not be used.
* Cleaning: Daily cleaning and sanitizing protocols with an emphasis on high-traffic areas will continue.
* Our schools’ HVAC systems have MERV-13 filters, which is the highest-grade filter available for our units, or air purifiers with filtration ratings at least as high as the MERV-13. Additionally dampers on all of our units are maximized to take in as much outside air as possible. Portable HEPA filters are in every classroom and office area. Our District works with mechanical engineers who advise us on settings and upgrades.
Music
Specialized instrument masks are optional. Families will be provided one set of these items to use for the school year. Students in choir programs or singing in elementary music classes may be asked to wear their regular, school-day mask. Staff is encouraged to hold these classes outside when possible.
Mask recommendations
Public health officials recommend upgraded masks that include double masking (surgical mask + cloth mask), fitted medical masks (surgical masks) and respirator masks (N95s, KN95s or KF94s). Please see “Choosing Your Mask” here.
Vaccinations
MVWSD is strongly encouraging all eligible individuals to get vaccinated (and boosted as applicable). They are free and convenient. Please see: covid19.sccgov.org/covid-19-vaccine-information
Close contact notifications
Parents of students and staff members who are identified as a close contact at school to a positive case will be notified. A close contact is someone who has been within 0-6 feet of the positive case for more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period indoors during the two-day period prior to the start of symptoms (or two days before the positive COVID-19 specimen collection date). Typically, these are the children in the positive case's classroom, in addition to any individuals who have been in small groups with the positive case.
If you do not receive a letter, you have not been identified as a close contact of a positive individual during their infectious period. Due to self-reported positive case data from families and the numbers of positive cases at any given time, MVWSD will employ the “group contact tracing” notification method for close contacts. It’s possible that entire grade levels or schools would receive a close contact notification at one time.
Staff Isolation
Staff members should stay home if they have any symptoms and get tested.
If negative, he/she may return to school 24 hours after fever ends.
If positive, he/she should stay isolated at home for 5 days after a positive test and/or onset of symptoms.
AND at least 24 hours after fever resolves
and other symptoms improve.
He/ She should wear a mask for 10 days when around others.
If positive, email [email protected] with the date of the positive test and enter absences into the Frontline system.
First, staff should test at home on Day 5. If symptoms are resolving and you test negative, then….
Employees must test at the District Office prior to returning to work. Tests should be scheduled for day 5 in order to return on day 6 with a negative result.
All household members of the COVID-19 case should monitor for symptoms, and get tested 3-5 days after potential exposure. Instructions on how to isolate and quarantine can be found at sccstayhome.org.
COVID Symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
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
(Source: CDC)
Archived communications
Masking Update, May 13, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Masking Update, April 26, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Masks and Protocols Updates, March 24, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Mask Update, Mar. 11, 2022 -
Spanish/español
Mask Update, Feb. 28, 2022 -
Spanish/español
COVID Update, Jan. 14, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
COVID Update, Jan. 13, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
COVID Update, Jan 10, 2022 -
Spanish/Español
Changes in Pooled Testing Notification - Jan. 5 (
en español)
Student At-Home COVID tests - Jan. 5 (
en español)
Return to School: COVID Safety- Jan. 1 (
en español)
COVID-19
MVWSD has a variety of educational resources and protocols to help keep students and staff members safe from the transmission of COVID-19.
How you can protect yourself from COVID
Our own MVWSD school nurses give important tips in this video series. Please review and practice with your family.
Handwashing video
(
Handwashing video Spanish)
Face masks and social distancing video
(
Face masks video Spanish)
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19
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Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 Spanish)