Update: School Health and Safety
August 25, 2021
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Spring Lake Park Schools families,
We continue to be excited to welcome students to a new school year – one in which we’re learning in-person at school five days a week. Despite the questions and concerns about COVID-19, we know this is going to be a successful year of learning.
District leadership and the school board have been monitoring the health and safety situation closely. We’ve also heard from many community members who share very different perspectives. We’ve worked to consider all perspectives as we address the factors influencing the beginning of this year.
Our priority is to keep school open and safe for learning with minimal disruptions – to individuals, classrooms, and schools. Our plan for learning is this:
- In-person – no learning model transitions: We are going to be open – five days a week – for in-person learning. We will not transition learning models to online or hybrid during this school year.
- Online option: We have a state-approved K-12 online option for families who choose it. We are asking families to request enrollment by this Sunday, August 29. Find more information at SLP Schools Online.
A flexible model for masking
Last evening, the school board met to consider adjustments to some specific health and safety measures before the beginning of the year. We specifically addressed the use of face masks – and approved a flexible approach based on virus transmission in our county and schools.
Our base model continues to be to highly recommend the use of face masks for students and staff at all levels. Recognizing guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Minnesota Department of Health, we will adapt practices from this base model during times of high virus transmission following a COVID-19 Face Mask Decision-Making Guide.
High transmission and opening plan
Anoka County is currently experiencing high transmission of the virus (greater than 100 cases per 100,000 residents) with 165.3 cases per 100,000 residents. The following will be in effect beginning August 30, 2021:
- Grades preK-6: Face masks are required for students and staff except when eating or outdoors. Medical exemptions will be considered on an individual basis. As transmission rates shift below 100, we will return to our base model after pausing to consider trends in order to avoid unnecessary back and forth.
- Grades 7-12: Face masks are strongly recommended. Vaccination is strongly recommended.
- ALL: Face masks are required on transportation following federal requirements.
Regular updates to county transmission rates and school-level virus activity will be available weekly – on Wednesdays – at the COVID-19 hub.
Quarantine – All grade levels
The school board also approved a quarantine plan based on current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Quarantine is required for:
- Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19
- Unvaccinated family members of those who test positive for COVID-19
- Close contacts to a positive case who are unvaccinated and unmasked
- We will work with families to minimize the length of any quarantine and return healthy students to school as quickly as possible.
Quarantine is not required for close contacts who:
- Are vaccinated and do not have symptoms
- Are unvaccinated, wore a mask and do not have symptoms and interacted with a COVID-19 positive case who also wore a mask
- Have had COVID-19 in the last 90 days and do not have symptoms
We continue to have several other health and safety measures in place for the start of this school year. Descriptions are summarized on the COVID-19 hub of our website.
We intend, and want nothing more than, to keep each student learning safely at school each day this year. We need the help and support of our community to do so, even when people disagree. As an administration and school board we are working to balance competing perspectives with the needs of the whole community as we prioritize safe, in-person learning.
Thank you for your partnership and support.
Jeff Ronneberg, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Amy Hennen
Chair
Spring Lake Park Schools School Board
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