New Plans: SMSD Board met Jan. 10. to revise and update their mitigation plan and quarantine requirements

The board approved new quarantine requirements and plans for those with COVID-19 during the board meeting on Jan. 10.

Those who test positive are required to quarantine for five days. If symptoms begin to resolve or improve after the fifth day of quarantine, they can return to school and wear a mask for five more days even if the school is mask optional. 

For those who are fully vaccinated, have their booster shot or completed the primary series of Pfizer, Moderna or J&J vaccines and were exposed to COVID-19, they can continue to go to school with the requirement of wearing a mask for 10 days. A negative PCR or lab antigen test must be shown to the school on the fifth day from exposure, at the earliest.

However, if symptoms develop, that student must quarantine until they can provide Nurse Ptacek with a negative test. 

If you are exposed and unvaccinated, you must stay home for five days, and on or after the fifth day of quarantine provide the school with a negative test to return. If the test is negative and has approval to return to school, that student must wear a mask for the following 6-10 days. 

However, if someone is exposed and unvaccinated and has yet to provide the school with a negative test or doesn’t want to, they can quarantine for 10 days instead of going through the testing process.

If an individual is exposed and unvaccinated but provides a negative PCR or lab antigen test to the school, they don’t have to quarantine and can remain in school but have to wear a mask for 10 days. These students and staff must also participate in “Test to Stay” — testing every other day for five days. 

The SMSD website will provide a frequently updated number of positive COVID-19 cases. 

The mask policy will remain the same: masks are optional unless the school exceeds the 3% threshold and then masks will be required for 14 days. 

Both indoor and outdoor dances are allowed and events outside of the school day have no restrictions on numbers of people and don’t require masks if held outdoors. 

The updated requirements and mitigation plan officially went into effect on Jan. 11.