- Westonka Public Schools
- Illness
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
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This information is intended to provide updates on Westonka Public Schools' response plan to the outbreak of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Please refer to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the latest updates.
Safe Learning Plan 2021-22
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As has been the case throughout this pandemic, Westonka Public Schools will prioritize and protect in-person learning opportunities for our students during the 2021-22 school year. Westonka students K-12 will attend school in person, five days a week. The District will follow all state and federal requirements related to COVID-19 and will adjust our protocols and procedures as needed in order to keep students safely in school.
We understand that the situation with COVID-19 is fluid, and Westonka’s COVID-19 policies could change at any time based on further state or federal direction, or in response to rising cases in our schools or community. Health and safety-related decisions will be made in consultation with the Minnesota Department of Health.
Prevention Practices
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Staying Home When Sick
- Students, staff and families will be asked to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and stay home if they are feeling ill.
- Students who have a fever of 100° or greater cannot return to school until 24 hours after the fever has left and they no longer need medication to keep the temperature down.
- Students and staff with confirmed cases of COVID-19 will be required to self-isolate at home until they have met criteria for return: Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines
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Self-Screening & Testing
- All students and staff should conduct a daily self-screen at home (series of questions): COVID-19 Daily Self-Screening Checklist
- Testing for COVID-19 will continue to be an important preventive measure, with many convenient testing options available for students and families.
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Masks & Face Coverings
- Masks are not currently required in Westonka school buildings. The district has established metrics for monitoring school transmission of COVID-19 and for implementing enhanced mitigation strategies.
- UPDATE 2-25-22: The CDC no longer recommends universal indoor mask wearing in K-12 schools and early education settings in areas with a low or medium COVID-19 Community Level [Check COVID-19 by County].
- UPDATE 2-25-22: The federal order requiring masks on school buses has expired. Face coverings are optional on Westonka school buses and district vehicles as of Monday, February 28.
- Masks are required in some instances following COVID-19 illness or household close contact exposure: Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines
- The Minnesota State High School League will determine face covering/mask guidance for activities.
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COVID-19 Vaccination
- The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is available for individuals 5 years and older. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends vaccination for staff and students ages 5 and up. Families should consult with their medical provider.
- Proof of vaccination will not be required of students to attend school.
- The district is committed to protecting the privacy of students and staff and will not ask individuals to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status to their fellow students, teachers or coworkers.
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Social Distancing
- Social distancing will be implemented in school buildings to the extent possible.
- Students and staff should follow all signs and/or floor markings promoting social distancing in school buildings.
- Attendance at group gatherings/events may be limited to accommodate social distancing.
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Personal Hygiene
- Students and staff will be encouraged to practice personal health hygiene, including covering their cough and washing their hands.
- Schools will ensure the availability of appropriate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors, including hand sanitizer, face masks, soap and disinfectant wipes.
COVID-19 Surveillance & Response
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Handling Positive Cases of COVID-19
- Confirmed Cases:
- Families and staff are asked to directly contact District Nurse Kelly Mattson if a student or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, or if someone in their home has COVID-19. Families can also report this in Skyward Family Access.
- If a person tests positive for COVID-19, they will not be allowed to return to school activities for at least 5 days from the time the symptoms started and until symptoms have improved and they have had no fever for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications. If they test positive but have no symptoms, they will be required to stay home for 5 days counting from the day they were tested: Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines.
- Students who test positive for COVID-19 will receive instruction similar to other long-term absences and the absence will be excused.
- Quarantines:
- Unvaccinated students will be required to quarantine for at least 5 days should a member of their household test positive for COVID-19: Quarantine/Isolation Guidelines.
- A quarantine period for close contacts outside the home is still considered best practice but will not be required.
- Students who are fully vaccinated, or who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 90 days, do not need to quarantine if exposed to a positive case unless they develop symptoms.
- Quarantined students will receive instruction similar to other long-term absences and the absence will be excused.
- Contact Tracing & Communication (updated 4.25.22): Schools will not be conducting contact tracing unless circumstances require.
- Primary school families will be notified if there is a positive case of COVID-19 in their child’s classroom
- Grandview Middle School and Mound Westonka High School families will be notified if their child is identified by an individual as a close contact
- Additionally, the district will communicate all positive cases among students and staff in school buildings on a weekly basis via a public data dashboard
COVID-19 Situation Monitoring
The Westonka District COVID-19 Support Team, made up of the superintendent, district nurse and a committee of the school board, will closely monitor county and local case data to determine if any additional COVID-19 mitigation strategies are warranted.
COVID-19 Dashboard
The Westonka Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard will be updated weekly on Wednesdays with new information from the previous week: www.westonka.k12.mn.us/covid19/dashboard. The dashboard includes school and community metrics that are being closely monitored by the District COVID-19 Support Team.
[Learn more about the school and community transmission indicators]
- Confirmed Cases:
School Safety Practices
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Cleaning & Disinfecting
- Custodials will perform routine environmental cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces and shared equipment throughout the day
- Teaching staff will be trained on the proper use of cleaning materials in their classrooms
- Nurses and health specialists will implement cleaning and disinfecting procedures for equipment and school isolation rooms
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Food Service
- Social distancing will be implemented in school cafeterias to the extent possible.
- Primary school students will remain in classroom cohorts during lunch.
- Outdoor eating areas will be utilized when appropriate.
- We are not able to host lunch visitors at this time.
- Regular school meals will continue to be provided free of charge to all students this school year thanks to funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even so, it’s extremely important to fill out the free/reduced meal application to continue to receive discounted services, like school activities and home internet service (upon qualification). Learn more and apply at westonkafoodies.com.
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Group Gatherings
- Attendance at group gatherings/events may be limited to accommodate social distancing.
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Promoting Healthy Hygiene
- Schools will ensure the availability of appropriate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors, including hand sanitizer, face masks, soap and disinfectant wipes.
- Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and placed at school entry points and high-traffic locations (e.g., lunch lines).
- Teachers will encourage students to frequently wash their hands during the school day.
- Signs will be placed around the school to remind students to practice healthy habits that prevent the spread of germs.
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Transportation
- UPDATE 2-25-22: The CDC order requiring masks on school buses has expired.
- Westonka Public Schools families are asked to share their transportation plans in Skyward Family Access by Monday, August 23. Please log in to Skyward Family Access and navigate to the Online Forms tab to fill out one transportation registration form for each student in your family. All primary school families should fill out the form and indicate after school plans, even if their student(s) will not be riding the bus this year.
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Ventilation
- Facilities staff, along with technicians and engineers, have reviewed and will continue to inspect school ventilation systems to ensure they operate properly and will increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible.
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Visitors and Volunteers
- Following the appropriate protocol, visitors will once again be allowed into our schools in some situations. Further details, including when volunteers can begin to visit our buildings, will be communicated in the coming weeks.
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Water Fountains
- Schools will encourage students to bring their own water bottles as opposed to using drinking fountains. Bottle refill stations will be available.
Contact
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Kelly Mattson
District Nurse
COVID-19 Health Coordinator
mattsonk@westonka.k12.mn.us
(952) 491-8104Kevin Borg
Superintendent
borgk@westonka.k12.mn.us
(952) 491-8001
MDH Videos
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COVID-19 Symptoms
How to Safely Wear Your Mask
How to Wash Your Hands
Cleaning Hands With Hand Sanitizer