San Juan Unified’s COVID-19 Safety Plan has been developed in consultation with employee groups and community feedback in accordance with the latest local, state and federal guidance. The plan defines the efforts the district will undertake to ensure the health and safety of students, staff members and the community as a whole in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This document forms the basis of our response but is supplemented by specific COVID-19 Prevention Plans (CPPs) at each school site. These documents together represent a school’s full planning response and will be made publicly available at least five days prior to a school site offering a return to in-person learning for entire grade spans or the student body as a whole.

Both this plan and the site-based CPPs can be found online at https://www.sanjuan.edu/covidsafetyplans. 

If you wish to provide feedback on the effectiveness of a chosen COVID-19 prevention practice or make suggestions on how San Juan Unified can improve our efforts to protect health and safety, please visit the COVID-19 site at https://www.sanjuan.edu/covid19 and complete a feedback form. Your submission will be reviewed by the COVID-19 response team.

To help protect the health and safety of our school communities, all families, students and staff are asked to follow these basic expectations: 

• Conduct a daily health screening for illness every morning before going to school. 
• If an employee, student or family member is experiencing symptoms or otherwise ill they must not come to a school campus or other district facility. 
• If a student becomes ill during the school day, they must be picked up by a parent or guardian immediately. 
• All individuals must comply with current face covering requirements at all times.
• Engage in physical distancing when appropriate and practical. 
• Leave toys, equipment and other personal items at home whenever possible. 
• Follow the guidance of this document and the school's COVID-19 Prevention Plan.

Family Education

Along with their school and family compact document, each student and their parent/guardian will be provided with information on the district’s face covering, absence, illness and COVID-19 tracking policies.

Schools may also consider holding online workshops or orientations for families prior to the return to in-person learning or as needed throughout the year to discuss topics and answer questions.

Students

Early identification of possible COVID-19 cases and reducing exposures is a key strategy to stopping the spread of the virus. That's why all parents and guardians must perform a daily symptom check on their child prior to sending them to school.

A daily prescreening tool made up of a list of questions parents or guardians should consider is provided. You can find the latest version at www.sanjuan.edu/covidresources. 

Any students who are found to have symptoms as part of their daily screening must remain home and not come to campus. Parents/guardians must notify the school of the student's absence and report that they are experiencing symptoms. 

Staff

All San Juan Unified staff members must self-screen on a daily basis using the same questions asked of students. 

Any staff member who reports symptoms as part of their daily screening must remain home and not come to their worksite. 

Respiratory & Hand Hygiene

Because the virus spreads through respiratory droplets and can be on surfaces, it is essential that students, staff and guests wash hands, avoid contact with their eyes, nose, and mouth, and cover coughs and sneezes.

• Students and staff should use a tissue to wipe their nose and cough/sneeze inside a tissue or their elbow if a tissue is not available. Once a tissue is used, throw it away and then wash hands.
• Students and staff should wash their hands frequently throughout the day, including before and after eating; after coughing or sneezing; after classes where they handle shared items, such as outside recreation, art, or shop; and before and after using the restroom.
• Students and staff should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap, rubbing thoroughly after application.
• Staff should model and practice handwashing. For example, for lower grade levels, use bathroom time as an opportunity to reinforce healthy habits and monitor proper handwashing.
• Students and staff should use fragrance-free hand sanitizer when handwashing is not available. Sanitizer should be rubbed into hands until completely dry. Hand sanitizer stations are available throughout each campus. Note: frequent handwashing is more effective than the use of hand sanitizers.

San Juan Unified follows the current requirements from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Sacramento County Public Health related to face coverings on school campuses. These requirements may change as local conditions change.

As of March 12, 2022 the use of face coverings when on school grounds is strongly recommended but not required for students, staff and guests regardless of vaccination status (including early childhood education and before/after school programs such as Discovery Club or Bridges). 

Harassment or inimidation of any individual for choosing to wear a face covering or to not wear a face covering is not acceptable. 

All individuals are encouraged to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) related to physical distancing.  

• Studies have shown that with multiple layers of safety precautions in place schools can operate safely with reduced physical spacing. 
• San Juan Unified schools will work to implement physical distancing to the degree possible while not excluding students from instructional or enrichment opportunities. 
• Schools may create specific paths of travel for students and guests on a campus to encourage physical distancing including the use of alternative or assigned student drop-off and pick-up areas. 
• Schools may establish cohort groups of students to limit mixing of groups especially during times of increased community transmission of COVID-19. 
• The use of physical barriers (i.e., plexiglass) may still be used in some situations including school offices and some instructional settings. 

The district's facilities and facilities staff play a key role in protecting the health and safety of our school communities. 

Ventilation 

• HVAC system coils disinfected with an EPA List-N product.
• All systems received MERV13 filters, replacement based on manufacturer recommendations or 90 days.
• All dampers opened to allow maximum outside air exchange
• Schedules adjusted to allow building air flushing before and after program use; constant air fan enabled
• Windows and doors to classrooms and other areas should be kept open to increase ventilation when weather and other conditions permit.

Cleaning

• Custodial staff continue to frequently clean common touch points including door handles and faucets. 
• Approved cleaning materials effective against COVID-19 are provided to site staff to assist with appropriate cleaning. 
• If there is a positive case or illness on a campus, additional district staff have been trained and can be deployed to deliver deep cleaning to moderate or large areas as needed. 

Events

All events and activities must follow state, local and all guidance in this document including below. Requirements may be modified when local conditions and/or guidance from health officials change.

• When practicable, virtual or outdoor venues should be considered for events and activities. 
• An event plan must be submitted to the appropriate assistant superintendent's office and approved at least two weeks prior to any event with more than 100 participants. Events that repeat, i.e.., athletic competitions, may submit one plan to cover all instances of the event. 
• Indoor events exceeding 1,000 participants may require additional safety measures depending on current state and local guidance.  
• Consideration should be given to how the number of participants in an event can be limited to reduce the chances of possible exposure. For example, events may be repeated with smaller groups of attendees.  
• To the degree practicable, spacing should be provided so that household groups can maintain up to six feet of physical spacing.
• Event planning must take into consideration strategies for aiding in close contact identification if it becomes necessary.  
• If an individual attending or otherwise participating in an event reports testing positive for COVID-19 within 72 hours after the event, event organizers will:
  • Work with their site administrator to ensure a COVID-19 case report is filed.
  • Attempt to identify other individuals who may have qualified as close contact exposures and notify them of the positive case.
  • Work with the communication department and site administration to post a message to the school’s website and social media alerting all other attendees to the positive case, if all close contact exposures cannot be identified with certainty.
• Events that require physical exertion by all participants or those that encourage yelling or chanting by attendees must consider how to provide additional physical spacing. 
• Access will be provided to hand washing and hand sanitizer.  

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Rallies and Assemblies
Rallies and assemblies may be limited when community transmission of COVID-19 is high. Any assembly or rally must also follow the events guidance above and additional safety measures including: 

• An event plan must be submitted to the appropriate assistant superintendent’s office and approved at least two weeks before the event. 
• COVID-19 testing is made available to all participants within 72 hours of the event and the school must strongly encourage testing participation. 
• No student or staff member may be required to participate and shall be provided with an alternative task if requested. Events may also be offered in a hybrid format allowing for both in person and virtual attendance.
• The event may be canceled or postponed at any time by the school administrator or district staff if local COVID-19 case rates are increasing or specific conditions at the school site warrant caution. 

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Dances or other events that encourage close contact
Dances or other events that encourage close contact may be limited or canceled during periods of high COVID-19 transmission in a school or our community. When held, these events must follow the guidance noted in the general section above and additional safety measures including:  

• An event plan must be submitted to the appropriate assistant superintendent’s office and approved at least two weeks before the event. 
• Events should be held outdoors when practicable. 
• Attendance is by advance ticketing or RSVP only at which time attendees must complete a COVID-19 Event Acknowledgement. Records or actual attendance must be maintained for at least 30 days after the event. 
• In alignment with the state health order, chaperones or volunteers must complete the district's process to be authorized as a volunteer which includes showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination or testing on a regular basis. 
• Schools will make COVID-19 testing available 24 hours prior to the event's start time for all students who will be attending. Students attending the event are strongly encouraged to take advantage of available testing. Advertising for the event must encourage participants to test.  
• To be courteous to neighbors, outdoor events must end by 10 p.m.
• No student or staff member may be required to participate and shall be provided with an alternative task if requested. 
• The event may be canceled or postponed at any time by the school administrator or district staff if local COVID-19 case rates are increasing or specific conditions at the school site warrant caution. 

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Athletic Competitions and Student Performances
Having the ability to include an audience or spectators at performance or competition can contribute to the student experience. San Juan Unified schools that host performances or competitions will follow all state, county and district safety guidance as well as their school COVID-19 Prevention Plan and these specific precautions: 

• Events should be held outdoors when practicable for the activity and conditions.
• Dedicated cheer/rally sections of attendees must provide additional physical spacing between participants given the increased risk of COVID-19 spread.   
• If more than 100 are expected to attend or participate, an event plan must be submitted to the appropriate assistant superintendent's office and approved at least two weeks prior to the event.
• All advertising for the event will encourage the use of face coverings and appropriate physical distancing. This includes advertising materials prior to the event and at the event (such as event programs). 
• Signage must be posted at all entry points to the event and at multiple locations within the event venue. Signage will remind attendees that face coverings are strongly recommended, encourage maintaining physical distancing and alert to the possible risk of COVID-19 exposure. 
• Adequate hand washing or sanitizing stations must be made available to attendees. If restroom facilities are not available, portable stations must be placed at the event. 

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Parent Meetings

When practicable, it is preferred to hold meeting in a virtual format. In-person parent meetings that cannot be held virtually to meet the needs of the parent/guardian, school staff or due to the content of the meeting must follow all applicable safety precautions including: 

• Maximize physical space to the extent practicable between meeting participants
• The use of face coverings is strongly recommended. 
• Parent/guardian meetings should involve only one household at a time. Multi-household meetings should follow the events guidance found above. 
• As practicable, sign-in sheets and/or seating charts should be used in case of a need to conduct close contact identification at a later date. 

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Staff Meetings

It is a shared interest to implement safety precautions that help ensure the ability for in-person instruction to continue.The guidance below applies to meetings involving a majority of a school's or worksite's staff:

• Meetings are encouraged to be held virtually or outdoors when practicable but may be held indoors. 
• When held indoors, meetings must offer a hybrid format allowing for participants to choose between in-person and virtual attendance. The hybrid format must be planned and offered with every meeting. Those participating in the virtual format must do so from their site-based work location.
• When held indoors, the use of face coverings is strongly recommended. 

The performing arts represent a unique learning experience for our students. There are currently no restrictions on band, choir, drama or other arts-based programs. 

See Events and Meetings for more information on student performances. 

Physical education is an important area of learning. All safety precautions called for inside other classrooms apply for physical education and dance programs as well.

• Face coverings are strongly recommended including when exercising or engaged in physical activity. 
• The greater levels of exhalation caused by physical activity can promote the spread of COVID-19, especially in enclosed spaces. Therefore, physical education and other classes requiring physical activities should be conducted outdoors when practicable.
• Students can dress out for physical education. When locker rooms are utilized, face coverings are strongly recommended unless an individual is otherwise exempt. Physical distance between students should be maximized to the extent practicable, and strategies such as assigning students to specific lockers should be used to minimize congregating and mixing of students.
• Use of shared equipment should be discouraged when possible. Students and others who do use shared equipment should sanitize or wash their hands before and after each use.

Meal services provide an opportunity for nutrition and socialization which can be done safely with a few precautions. 

San Juan Unified schools will: 

• Maximize physical distance as much as possible while eating (especially indoors).
  • Provide outdoor eating spaces as weather and space allow.
  • Arrange indoor eating spaces to maximize student spacing.
  • Consider the addition of lunch period or adding time to a lunch period to allow for providing meal service to fewer students at one time.
  • Consider providing additional supervision for students to eat in other areas of the campus.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces. Surfaces that come in contact with food should be washed, rinsed, and sanitized before and after meals.
• Provide pre-packaged breakfast items (at participating school sites).
• Not utilize open salad bars. 

For the 2021-2022 school year, ALL students eat for free. 

(Dietary modifications can be made at both elementary and middle or high schools based on medical statements on file in the nutrition services office and with prior communication between student/family and nutrition services site staff.)

Elementary

Elementary and K-8 students will have the option of a meat or non-meat entree option, choice of fruit, vegetables and milk. To speed up service and reduce touch points, students will not need to enter their student ID or provide a student ID. 

Middle

Middle and high school students will have the option of several meat and non-meat entree options, choices of fruit, vegetables and milk. Students will need to enter their ID at the cashier after choosing their meal items. 

Independent Study, Homeschool and Age 0-18 Community Members

Meal pickup service will be provided to serve independent study and homeschool students and non-San Juan Unified youth ages 0 to 18 at limited locations in the district. A cold lunch (for the same day) and a cold breakfast (for the next day) will be provided. No congregation is allowed and all safety requirements must be followed when picking up a meal including the use of face coverings. 

Children must be present for pickup unless families obtain an orange validation form from nutrition services site staff that can be used to pick up meals for each youth age 0 to 18 in a household. 

Field trips provide an important opportunity to support classroom instruction. School sites will carefully consider the safety implications and necessary precautions for students, staff and guests. Appropriate alternative activities will be provided for any student who does not wish to participate in a field trip experience.

• All district and school site safety requirements and guidance must be followed regardless of the location of the field trip including the strong recommendation for proper use of face coverings. 
• All safety requirements and guidance of field trip locations must be followed. 
• In compliance with a state health order, all staff or volunteers (including drivers or chaperones) who participate in a field trip experience must demonstrate proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or, be tested for COVID-19. Volunteers must be listed on the district's volunteer list after completing the volunteer verification process. 
• COVID-19 testing is strongly encouraged for all participants prior to embarking on a field trip. This includes vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals and students as well as adults. (Testing is encouraged for vaccinated adults but is mandatory for unvaccinated volunteers as noted above.) Testing is available at district testing locations and at school sites where a trained staff member is available. PCR tests administered no more than 72 hours prior to departure or antigen based rapid tests administered within 24 hours of trip departure are appropriate.
• Prior to departure on a field trip, plans must be in place for the isolation and separate transport of any student, staff member or volunteer who develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19 while on the trip. Any individual who develops symptoms that cannot be linked to a known condition must be isolated from other participants and transported directly home.
• Face coverings are strongly recommended to be worn by all individuals when in vehicles, including personal vehicles used for trips and on buses. 
• When using a bus for transportation:
• Efforts should be made to maximize physical spacing between riders on buses.
• If the bus is provided by a private company, any safety precautions put in place by the company must be followed.
• When using private vehicles for transportation:
• Capacity is not limited in a private vehicle; however students must be assigned to a group for the duration of the trip. Group assignments should be made based on any existing cohorting done inside the classroom and group members should not be mixed from different classes or other groups that would not typically interact daily in the school environment.  Each group must travel together going to and returning from the destination and any stops between. Face coverings must always be worn by drivers and passengers and efforts to increase air ventilation should be made including lowering windows if weather and other conditions permit.  
• Field trips to other regions that are experiencing high rates of COVID-19 transmission are discouraged. Schools will check and abide by any local health precautions and requirements for travel to other regions when Sacramento County is experiencing high rates of COVID-19 transmission. 
• Overnight field trips are permissible.
• COVID-19 testing of all participants is strongly encouraged and will be made available by schools prior to leaving on the trip and after return. Ideally, participants will have a PCR based test administered 72 hours prior to departure and an antigen rapid test given the day of departure. Testing upon return can be done with either a PCR or antigen-based test three to five days after return.
• Efforts should be made to maintain stabilized groupings to the greatest degree practicable for the duration of the trip.
• Face coverings are strongly recommended to be used  indoors except while eating or sleeping.
• Efforts must be made to maximize the physical distance between students sleeping in a shared space. 
• Efforts should be made to maximize air ventilation in sleeping quarters as weather and other conditions permit.

All athletics programs must comply with applicable district, county and state requirements including but not limited to those related to schools, public events, athletic competitions, youth sports and volunteers in schools.

The use of face coverings by students, staff and coaches is strongly recommended  both indoors and outdoors at all times including during competitions, practices and conditioning unless wearing a mask during play has been determined to pose a choking hazard by a well-recognized health authority, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Mask usage is not recommended for competitive cheerleading (tumbling/stunting/flying), gymnastics, wrestling, volleyball, basketball and swimming due to potential safety hazards.

COVID-19 screening tests are not required at this time for student athletes participating in outdoor sports or indoor sports. However, testing is available from any of the district’s testing sites or county testing locations at no cost.

All staff, coaches and volunteers including but not limited to chaperones, snack bar workers, and parent/guardian/family drivers must verify that they are fully vaccinated or complete required COVID-19 testing in accordance with state health orders. Volunteers must complete the verification process found at https://www.sanjuan.edu/volunteer.

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See Athletics and Student Performances under Events for more information regarding athletic competitions. 

San Juan Unified provides bus transportation for special education students with specific needs and school field trips. The following applies in both situations: 

• All individuals on a bus are strongly recommended to wear a face covering at all times unless they have a valid medical exemption. 
• When possible, students should practice physical distancing when choosing their seat on a school bus. 
• At least two windows should be lowered on the bus when weather permits to encourage airflow. 

Visitors are allowed on school campuses for necessary purposes.

Volunteers who have completed the district’s volunteer verification process (https://www.sanjuan.edu/volunteer) are permitted on campus when performing volunteer duties. All volunteers must check-in per the school’s adopted check-in practice and, if required to meet the state health order, show a negative result from a COVID-19 test that was administered within the 7 days prior to the volunteer being on campus. Those who are required to show test results must show a valid test result from the prior 7 days each time they enter campus. (Due to the chance of being in a vehicle for transportation, volunteers for field trips must provide a negative result from a PCR-based test administered within 72 hours prior to the trip or an antigen-based test administered within 24 hours prior to the trip. 

Individuals or groups providing services to schools via a service agreement or contract must complete the required paperwork with the district’s purchasing department indicating how they will meet the state health order requirement.

Visitor, volunteer and guest access to school campuses may be modified as local health conditions and guidance change. Schools experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases may have specific restrictions on guests, visitors and volunteers put in place.

Students 
Students feeling ill at school with COVID-19 symptoms should be isolated and sent home as soon as possible. Staff should document students who are sent home and their symptoms in SIS-Q. The site should communicate with their school nurse regarding potential COVID-19 cases.

Each site should establish the following three areas, as it pertains to the health needs of students and staff:

1. General Waiting Area:
   Students waiting to be triaged (comes to office with unscheduled needs, i.e., fell down during recess)
2. Well Student Area:
   Those students that have scheduled medical needs (e.g. procedures, meds)
3. Persons with COVID-19 Symptoms Area:
   Areas for persons with possible COVID-19 symptoms should be isolated from others.

Staff
Staff members should immediately notify their supervisor and go home. Staff are recommended to contact their physician as soon as possible and get tested for COVID-19.

Returning to School or Work (in-person) for Symptomatic Students or Staff

Students and staff may not return to in-person instruction or work until they have met the following criteria defined by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH): 

1. At least 24 hours have passed since having a fever without the use of fever reducing medications; AND

2. Other symptoms have improved; AND

3. They have a negative test for COVID-19; OR provide healthcare professional's documentation that symptoms are typical of an underlying chronic condition or an alternative diagnosis; OR at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset. 

The district has put into place a reporting and tracking structure to help monitor and proactively discourage the spread of COVID-19. 

Students & Families

If a student or family of a student needs to report symptoms of COVID-19 or a confirmed COVID-19 test, they must remain home and contact their school office by phone or email immediately. 

Staff

Staff members who are ill or need to report a confirmed COVID-19 test must remain home and contact their direct supervisor by email or phone immediately. 

Supervisors & Site Administrators

Upon receiving a report of a confirmed COVID-19 test, department managers and site administrators are responsible for ensuring that an online report is filed within IRIS immediately. This will alert the district's COVID-19 response team who will work with the department manager or site administrator to ensure an appropriate response to the case. 

Testing of individuals who are asymptomatic can assist school and health officials in monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and prevent outbreaks.

San Juan Unified will provide opportunities and strongly encourage both students and all district staff to test for asymptomatic infections. 

Information on current district testing locations and dates can be found at https://www.sanjuan.edu/covidtest. 

The district will also make response testing available to students and to staff members who are impacted by a confirmed exposure to COVID-19.

There is no cost to those being tested at either a district or county clinic location regardless of whether they have insurance.

Any positive test result should immediately be reported to the school office for students or a supervisor for employees and the tested individual should not return to the school or worksite.

Note: Home based COVID-19 test results are not accepted to verify the ability to return to school or work. Testing must be done by a medical provider, testing site such as a local pharmacy or county clinic, or at a school or district testing location. 

COVID-19 Positive Test Result

If a student or staff has tested positive for COVID-19: 

• If on campus, isolate case and exclude from school/work
  Administrator/supervisor completes online COVID-19 incident report.
• Site administrator and COVID-19 response team identify close contact exposures in accordance with current state and local health official guidance: close contacts may be required to quarantine.
• Recommend testing for close contact exposures.
  School/office/class may remain open.
• District communication office will assist schools and programs to provide notification to students and staff who may have been in close contact to the individual.

COVID-19 positive individual can return to school/work either:

• On the 11th day after symptoms first begin or a positive test is taken if symptoms are not present or have greatly improved (including being fever free for at least 24 hours) 

OR 

• On the 6th day after symptoms began or a positive test is taken if at least 24 hours have passed since fever or symptoms have improved greatly AND the individual receives a negative antigen test from a sample collected on or after the 5th day from when symptoms began or they originally tested positive. 

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Suspected Case

If a student or staff answers "yes" to one of the health prescreening questions and/or has COVID-19 symptoms, but has not been tested or is awaiting test results: 

• If on campus, staff will isolate the individual and then send them home, staff will use the Symptom Decision Tree for minor and major symptoms. 
• Classes and offices remain open. 
• Notifications to other students or staff is not necessary unless the individual later tests positive for COVID-19. 

Those who have had symptoms may not return to work/school until: 

1. They are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications; AND

2. Their symptoms have improved; AND

3A. They have obtained a negative COVID-19 test*; OR

3B. They have obtained documented alternative diagnosis from a medical professional; OR

3C. 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms. 

*Home based COVID-19 test results are not accepted for this requirement. Testing must be done by a medical provider, testing site such as a local pharmacy or county clinic, or at a school or district testing location. 

A person who is within six feet for a total of 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period of another individual that has tested positive for COVID-19 is considered exposed. San Juan Unified follows the latest guidance and requirements from state and local health departments regarding quarantine and isolation periods. You can find the latest information at https://www.sanjuan.edu/quarantine.

Closure of a classroom, program or school site will occur if necessary to protect the health and safety of students, staff and community members. Only the Superintendent of Schools or designee may authorize a closure and shall work in consultation with local health officials in making the determination. 

Typically, a closure will require that an outbreak has occurred at a school site or within a classroom or program rather than a single case. Local health officials may also determine closure is warranted for other reasons, including results from a public health investigation or other epidemiological data. 

Continuity of Services

It is San Juan Unified’s interest and intent to maintain the delivery of educational services to the greatest extent possible should students and staff need to be quarantined or a school or worksite closed for a period of time. The district remains in conversations regarding the best options for providing services and will revise planning on a frequent basis.

• If an individual or group of students must be quarantined they will be provided with work from home assignments and make up work during the duration of their quarantine period. In the case of extended quarantines, (beyond 30 days) consideration may be given to enrollment in independent study or other alternative education programs.
• If a staff member or group of staff members must be quarantined, they have the option to work from home if well enough, but are not required to do so. If needed, substitutes will be provided in the classroom to maintain service delivery to students and families.
• If a school must be closed for a period of more than 14 days, the district will shift instruction to an independent study model supported by synchronous teacher-led instruction and supplemented by asynchronous learning assignments.
• Students, including those with disabilities and English learners, who need additional supports will be prioritized for receiving in-person services as health conditions and precautions allow.
• For closures extending beyond 14 days, students with specific needs may also be evaluated for individualized plans.