Updated 8/16/22

GENERAL GUIDANCE:

All CCSD students and staff are asked to follow guidance related to COVID-19 from their health care providers or the Department of Public Health. We ask that you NOT send your child to school if they are sick and exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or any other contagious virus and/or infection such as influenza, strep throat, stomach virus, etc.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or a new loss of taste or smell.

What to do if your child tests positive for COVID-19:

• It is recommended that if you test positive for COVID-19, you stay home for at least five (5) days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely the most infectious during these first five days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.
• If, after five days, you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you have not had any symptoms, you may end isolation after day five.
• Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
• You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10. Masks and respirators can provide different levels of protection depending on the type of mask and how they are used. Loosely-woven cloth products provide the least protection; layered finely woven products offer more protection; well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection. See more information here.

What to do if your child is exposed to COVID-19:

• Following any exposure, it is recommended to monitor for symptoms for a full 10 days and keep your child(ren) home immediately if symptoms do present themselves.
• It is recommended that a person wait until day six (6) or later to test following an exposure.
• Click here for more information. 

Note: Your child must be 24 hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications, and other symptoms must also improve. 

MASK POLICY: 

CCSD is aware that COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise in our area. With that in mind, we strongly encourage staff, students, and visitors to wear masks/face coverings when in school settings that do not allow for social distancing. Schools will have face masks available for those who need one.

Note: Currently, masks are required for Head Start, Early Head Start, and students receiving pre-K services at ELC West and ELC East. Pre-K students who receive services in our elementary schools are not required to wear masks.

We will continue to maintain our district case data dashboard, and case data information for Athens-Clarke County and statewide can be found here. 

CCSD also recommends and encourages students and staff to get fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as, per the CDC, those who are fully vaccinated are at a lower risk of symptomatic or severe infection.

TESTING: 

Through a partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health, CCSD will continue to offer free COVID testing opportunities in schools this year. Rapid antigen and laboratory-confirmed PCR testing will be available to students, staff, and families at various locations across the district. The testing schedule and instructions to access testing is available here.  

VACCINES: 

CCSD will continue to partner with the Clarke County Health Department to offer free vaccines to the CCSD community. Vaccines will be available to anyone who wants one during the months of August and September at each Clarke County school on a rotating basis. First, second, and booster doses will be offered to all who are eligible. Please remember that children of all ages are now eligible to receive the COVID vaccine.  

Vaccine dates and locations and more information are available here. 

ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATIONS:

CCSD has also taken measures to improve the air circulation and quality of the air our students and staff breathe while at school. Those measures include: 

• Air-conditioning units have been set on a 24-hour cycle, which allows air to refresh constantly.  
• Vortex ionizers, which clean the air in buildings, have been installed on the air-conditioning units in every CCSD facility. 

School Notification Process

• Elementary Schools will send a notification of a positive case to the classroom as well as a weekly communication to the school. 
• Middle and High Schools will send out a weekly notification to the entire school community with the number of COVID cases. 
• Athletics and After-School Programs: Coaches/Coordinators will notify individuals when there is a positive case on a CCSD sports team or program.
• All schools will utilize the CCSD COVID Data Dashboard in their weekly communications with their community.