• January 13, 2022

    Dear CVUSD Parents and Guardians,

    Yesterday afternoon I shared updated guidance regarding isolation and quarantine practices provided by local health officials. Late in the evening, and without communication to district administrators beforehand, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated its published guidelines regarding COVID-19 directives for K-12 schools. I would like to provide the following update to yesterday’s community letter dated Wednesday, January 12, 2022.

    The following updates provided in this letter include:

    • Masking
    • Staying Home When Ill
    • Testing
    • Isolation
    • Quarantine
    • Cleaning and Disinfecting

    UNIVERSAL MASKING

    At this time, universal masking is required for all persons, regardless of vaccination status, while indoors at all District facilities and K-12 campuses.  This mitigation strategy allows all students access to full in-person instruction and eliminates a minimum physical distancing requirement.

    The District and its school sites will continue to provide face coverings to all students, staff, and visitors in need of one.

    STAYING HOME WHEN ILL

    Parents and guardians are urged to screen their students at home each morning, prior to them arriving to campus. Please keep students home if they are sick or suspected of having COVID-19.

    TESTING

    Beginning next week, school sites will receive their one-time At-Home COVID-19 antigen test kits that have been provided by the CDPH. Each school site administrator will share a letter with their community listing the date a test kit will be sent home with each enrolled student. Families are not obligated to accept a test kit and have the option to complete and return an opt-out form to their student’s school. The opt-out form will be available on the district website, each CVUSD school website, and accompany your school administrator’s community letter.

    Parents and guardians of students currently enrolled in the Home/Hospital program may pick up their student’s test kit at the Alternative Education Center (AEC) located at 15650 Pipeline Ave. in Chino Hills. Parents and guardians with students currently enrolled in the Virtual, Home-Based, and Independent Study programs can pick up their student’s test kit at the student’s school of enrollment and not the AEC.

    Although testing is not associated with any state mandate, the CDPH strongly encourages families to test when necessary to mitigate an outbreak among students and staff.

    The District has also confirmed that students isolating at home can return to campus after providing their At-Home COVID-19 antigen test results and have met isolation guidance provided by CDPH. The Positive COVID-19 Student Attestation Form to confirm test results is available on the district website under the FORMS tab on the COVID-19 Updates webpage. Completed forms must be returned to your student’s school office upon your student’s return to school.

    If a positive test result is received, please immediately notify your school administration office. Additional testing options can be found on the district website at https://www.chino.k12.ca.us/Page/48603.

    ISOLATION

    Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms, will follow the recommendations listed in Table 1 (Isolation) of the CDPH Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for the General Public.

    Persons Who Test Positive for COVID-19 (Isolation) 

    Recommended Action

    Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or lack of symptoms.
    • Stay home (PDF) for at least 5 days.
    • Isolation can end after day 5 if symptoms are not present or are improving and a diagnostic specimen* collected on day 5 or later tests negative.
    • If unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present or are improving, isolation can end after day 10.
    • If fever is present, isolation should be continued until fever resolves.
    • If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving continue to isolate until symptoms are resolving or until after day 10 (excludes loss of taste/smell).
    • Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings (CDPH K-12 Masking Guidance)

    *Antigen test preferred.


    QUARANTINE

    Beginning Tuesday, January 18, 2022, CVUSD will adhere to guidance outlined in the CDPH’s Group-Tracing Approach to Students Exposed to COVID-19 in a K-12 Setting. Schools will notify all families whose student has spent more than a cumulative total of 15 minutes (within a 24-hour period) in a shared indoor airspace with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

    Using CDPH’s new guidance provided through the Group-Tracing approach, a notification will be sent to the entire group of exposed students, rather than contact tracing to identify individual “close contacts” (those within 6 feet). As a result, families, especially at the junior high and high school level, may see an increase in letters received.

    For example, if a COVID-19 positive student is present in your student’s 1st, 4th, and 5th period classes, you will receive a notification for each class.  

    We appreciate your patience with this new procedure as the District strives to remain transparent with its reporting system for known positive COVID-19 cases in the classroom.  

    CLEANING AND DISINFECTING

    The District will continue to clean and disinfect facilities and school campuses as part of its COVID-19 cleaning procedures.

    THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

    This school year has not been without its challenges, but I am thankful for the patience and cooperation our staff, students, and families have exhibited throughout this time of uncertainty. By working together, we’ll be able to provide our students with a safe learning environment where they receive full in-person instruction.

    As always, my staff and I remain committed to sharing updates with you as we receive guidance from local and state health professionals.

    Sincerely,

    Norm Enfield, Ed.D.
    Superintendent