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COVID-19 Resources & Updates

Updated 01/20/2022


• Superintendent Goldberg's Community Updates 

• COVID-19 CASE Dashboard 2021 - 2022

Travel Guidance Update


Effective Friday, January 21, 2022, if an individual tests positive for COVID-19:

  • The individual will be excluded from school for at least 5 full days;

    • It is important to note, Day 0 is the day symptoms began or the date the test was administered;

  • In order to return on the 6th day, the parent/guardian or staff member will need to assure the school:

    • The individual has remained fever-free for 24 hours without a fever-reducing agent (i.e. Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen);

    • The individual has had an improvement in any COVID-like symptoms, i.e. headache, nausea, cough, congestion, sore throat, shortness of breath. 

  • Upon return to school, the individual must strictly wear a well-fitted mask including outdoors for the next 5 days upon their return to school.

    • Please note, this includes in all courses.  Students will be required to participate in non-aerobic activities in physical education, and will not participate in non-masked activities in music or other activities.  

  • During lunch, students may remove their mask only while eating or drinking, and then put the mask back on whenever not actively eating or drinking.  All students will continue to follow social distancing requirements while eating.

  • Families will continue to be allowed to utilize virtual instruction for ten (10) days, and should consult with their health care provider if symptoms persist. 

If an individual is symptomatic with COVID-like symptoms:

  • In the absence of a test, individuals will be required to follow the protocols above;

  • If the individual is tested by a laboratory-rapid test or PCR and receives a negative result, the individual may return to school when they provide the lab test results/ report to the school nurse as long as the individual is fever-free for 24 hours and additional symptoms have improved.  Please note:

    • An alternate diagnosis (i.e. positive strep test, influenza, etc.) absent of a negative PCR test is not acceptable for individuals who meet COVID-19 exclusion criteria to return to school earlier than the recommended exclusion timeframes.

    • The negative test must be a laboratory-rapid test or PCR and CANNOT be a home-based test unless the test is medically supervised and sent to a laboratory for processing.

 

As a reminder, the following protocols regarding close contact(s) remain in place: 

Individuals who are fully vaccinated, or who have had confirmed COVID-19 (positive PCR test) within the last 90 days and who remain asymptomatic will not be required to quarantine.

Unvaccinated individuals who are identified as a close contact outside of their household;

  • If asymptomatic, get tested at least 5 days after the initial exposure.  If the test (Rapid Antigen or PCR) is negative, the quarantine period can end after day 5.  

  • If symptoms appear, an individual must get tested and wait to return until after a negative test is received or the ten-day period has passed. 
     

Unvaccinated individuals who are identified as a close contact outside of their household;

  • If unvaccinated staff remain asymptomatic they will not be required to participate in a quarantine.

  • Unvaccinated staff must continue to participate in district testing protocols.

  • Follow social distancing protocols and correctly wear a well-fitting mask at all times.

 

Upon return, and for days 6-10 after their return, individuals will be required to follow the guidelines including:

  • Correctly wear a well-fitting mask at all times in the school environment or when in the presence of other individuals;

  • Follow social distancing protocols and remain separate from other individuals when eating or drinking.
     

Masking continues to be required for all students, staff, and visitors within our buildings as stipulated in Governor Murphy’s recent Executive Order No. 281

We were happy to expand our athletic program to include parents as spectators at home games this week.  We will continue to monitor our local and regional data to identify our next opportunities for expanding spectators.  In addition, we have reopened all after-school extracurricular activities to be in-person.  

Finally, as a reminder, virtual instruction is only permitted for COVID-related absences.  Students who are identified as close contacts, or report symptoms will remain allowed to participate in virtual instruction for the isolation/quarantine period.  Families with questions regarding their child’s symptoms should follow up with their school nurse.


NJDOH Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for K-12 Schools
(Updated 12/15/2021)
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/RecommendationsForLocalHealthDepts_K12Schools.pdf

General Health and Safety Guidelines
Springfield Public Schools is utilizing the most up-to-date guidance from the New Jersey Department of Education, Centers for Disease Control, and local health officials to ensure the appropriate protocols for maintaining healthy and safe teaching and learning conditions. All decisions regarding the conditions for learning will be governed by the most recent guidelines provided by the New Jersey Department of Health. NJDOH will be providing information on COVID-19 transmission at the regional level, characterizing risk as low (green), moderate (yellow), high (orange), and very high (red). https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/statistics/covid/

COVID-19 Testing
Union County residents can schedule free, walk-up appointments provided by the Union County Mobile Test Unit. Call 908-518-4307 or visit: https://ucnj.org/covid19/testing/walk-up-locations/.

Screening & Contact Tracing
Based on the best practices for ensuring the health and safety for our students, prior to arriving to school:

Symptoms:

 

If students have any ONE of the symptoms below,  please do not report to school If students have TWO OR MORE of the symptoms below, please do not report to school
  • Fever (100.4 or higher))

  • Cough

  • Shortness of Breath

  • Difficulty Breathing

  • New loss of small

  • New loss of taste

  • Chills

  • Rigors (shivers)

  • Myalgia (muscle aches)

  • Headache

  • Sore Throat

  • Nausea or Vomiting

  • Diarrhea

  • Fatigue

  • Congestion or Runny Nose

   

 

Response to Students Presenting Symptoms
Springfield Public Schools encourages parents to be on alert for signs of the illness in their children and to keep their child home when they are sick.

  • Symptoms should be reported to the school nurse 

    • Staff who observe a child exhibiting COVID-19-like symptoms, will have the child escorted to the nurse to review the symptoms and contact the parent/guardian.

    • Nurse will:

      • Conduct a screening
      • If symptoms are observed, the student will go to an isolated area under proper supervision until picked up by a parent or emergency contact.
      • Contact parents/guardians for pickup; parents are requested to arrange pickup of the child within 30 minutes of the phone call.  Parents/guardians will meet the child outside of the school building.
      • Provide guidance related to contacting the child’s physician

Students sent home will not be allowed back on campus for athletic or extracurricular programs on the same day.

 

If a Student Tests Positive for COVID-19

  • The parent should share the information with the school nurse.  Phone numbers for the nurses can be found here: https://www.springfieldschools.com/Content2/368

  • The nurse will be directed to contact the local health official to provide information

  • The school nurse will share information with the district administration based on district protocols.

  • Families will be asked to participate in the contract tracing process set by the local health department.

    • A public health worker in their local jurisdiction will contact the parent/guardian to initiate the contact tracing process and will advise to immediately quarantine the child for a minimum of 14 days from onset of symptoms. During this process, the public health worker will obtain specifics including where they are receiving their education.

  • The family should be directed to follow the NJDOH guidance:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Instructions_Persons_Who_Test_Positive.pdf 

  • Decisions regarding classroom or school closures will be made in consultation with the local health officials.  Individual information regarding specific classrooms or individuals will not be shared, and community members are encouraged to respect the privacy of their fellow community members. 

  • To return to in-person instruction, parents/guardians will provide a copy of medical clearance to the building nurse via email.

  • A negative test alone will not be sufficient to determine when a student or staff member can return; a medical clearance may be requested.
     

If a Student Has Been in Contact with Someone Positive for COVID-19
If a family member or member of a household of a student has been identified through contact tracing as having close contact (see below for information) with a COVID positive case, the parent/guardian should contact the school nurse directly, information can be found here: https://www.springfieldschools.com/Content2/368

 

What is Close Contact?

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more

  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19

  • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them)

  • You shared eating or drinking utensils

  • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

  • Information from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

 

Information regarding exposure, testing, and symptoms:

 

Student Transportation

  • Before and after each route, the bus aide and driver assigned to the route will wipe-down all bus seats with a disinfectant.

  • All passengers will be required to wear a face covering. Students who are unable to wear a face covering will be addressed according to that student's particular need and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

 

Face Masks
Springfield Public Schools requires that parents/guardians send students to school with a clean face mask each day when scheduled for in-person instruction.

Visit https://ucnj.org/covid19/resources/masks/ for mask guidance

Exceptions to requirements for face coverings shall be as follows:

  • Doing so would inhibit the individual's health.

  • A student's documented medical condition, or disability as reflected in an IEP precludes the use of face covering.

  • A Physician’s note must be provided documenting the student’s specific medical condition.

  • Springfield Public Schools reserves the right to have the district physician review and approve the medical note that has been submitted.

 

Visitors
Individuals identified as “visitors,” may include any individual not employed by or in service of the Springfield Public Schools. No visitors will be allowed inside school facilities, unless they are required to be there in order to ensure the operations of the school. All visitors will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry to any school buildings. 

 

Links to COVID-19  Resources

If You Tested Positive https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Instructions_Persons_Who_Test_Positive.pdf 

If You Tested Negative
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID_Instructions_Persons_Who_Test_Negative.pdf 

CDC Child Diagnosis Flowchart
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/images/community/schools-childcare/student-becomes-sick-diagnosis-flowchart.jpg

Union County Information
https://ucnj.org/covid19/

New Jersey Department of Health Overview
https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml

New Jersey Department of Health Testing & Symptoms Information
https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing

How to Protect Yourself
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Springfield Township Health Department 
https://springfield-nj.us/departments/health/