Highlights of the COVID-19 Mitigation Measures: Guidelines to Consider

Approved by the Board of Education on August 16, 2022.

To keep our students and staff healthy and avoid disruptions to learning, we plan to put the following health and safety measures in place for the start of the 2022-23 school year. Our plans have been developed with guidance from the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, and in alignment with the August 11, 2022, CDC updated release; CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk. The physical and mental health and safety of students and staff (and community and region) remain our top priority. However, we must regularly assess our current reality and stay flexible and fluid based on what is learned and our evolving public health conditions.

Masking and Monitoring

Hazelwood School District will utilize the CDC's system of COVID-19 Community Levels to determine masking status in schools:

• Low:  Masking optional
• Medium: Masking optional
• High: Masking recommended indoors

The district will notify families and staff when a change in St. Louis County’s Community Level occurs and will continue to monitor cases in schools and buildings through the daily dashboard updates but will not utilize a threshold for moving to a mask-required status. Masks will continue to be available.

Vaccinations and Testing

We will continue sharing community resources for vaccination and testing opportunities and encouraging all staff and eligible students' families to talk to their healthcare providers about getting vaccinated.


Quarantine and Isolation Recommendations

If you have been exposed to a positive COVID case, regardless of your vaccination status:

• Instead of quarantining, wear a high-quality mask for ten days and get tested on day 5. If your results are positive, follow isolation guidelines. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have the test results.

If a staff or student tests positive for COVID:

• Current protocols are to stay home for five days and isolate yourself from others in your home. Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptoms onset or testing date if you do not have symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms start. You may end isolation on Day 6 if you are fever-free for 24 hours, symptoms improve, and you can remain masked on Day 6-10.

If a staff or student is exhibiting symptoms of COVID:

• They may be sent home and required to remain at home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.
  
  

 Continuing Healthy Habits

• Frequent hand washing and sanitizing breaks, along with respiratory etiquette teaching
• Maintaining sanitizer dispensers in classrooms, hallways, and common areas
• Promoting the importance of staying home when sick and notifying the school about positive COVID-19 test results
• Vaccine promotion, education, and resources
• Provide screening information to parents and staff; following protocols to determine if someone who is symptomatic should remain at home