D38 COVID-19 Safe In-person Instruction and Protocols

D38 has operated in an in-person mode throughout the 2021-2022 school year, continuing its safe and in-person operations from the 2020-2021 school year. We continue to monitor trends and work in partnership with El Paso County Public Health to serve our students in the best way possible. Please see our plan and protocols to remain in-person below.

• Masks

  While mask usage is encouraged, they are not required for any individual inside our school buildings. D38 will promote and ensure a supportive and welcoming environment for all those who choose to wear a mask. Per current federal law, masks are still required on school buses, and as such, D38 will require the use of masks on district transportation.
   

• Physical Distancing, Cohorting, Cleaning

  We will not enforce any physical distancing or cohorting measures, but we encourage our staff, students and visitors to maintain respectful and appropriate physical distance. We will continue to encourage impactful personal hygiene practices, such as frequent hand-washing and sanitizing while we resume our traditional schedule of cleaning and sanitizing our buildings and campuses.
   

• Vaccinations

  Public health officials recommend all eligible individuals receive the COVID-19 vaccine. D38 will not mandate the vaccine among staff or students and will not require student or staff notification of vaccination status.
   

• Isolation of COVID-Positive Cases & Quarantines

  According to El Paso County Health, quarantine and isolation guidelines will be updated as follows: 

  • For isolations, the recommended time for isolation will shorten from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to five days, if asymptomatic on day five, followed by five days of wearing a mask when around others.
  • For quarantines due to exposure to COVID-19, the updated recommended quarantine is for five days followed by mask use for an additional five days for individuals who are unvaccinated or are eligible for a booster but have not received one yet.
  • The CDC defined those eligible for booster as five months from a second Pfizer or Moderna dose or two months after a Johnson & Johnson dose. 
  • Alternatively, if a five-day quarantine is not feasible, the recommendation is to wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days. 
  • Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure.

  To avoid any disruptions to our operations, we recommend following all El Paso County Public Health Guidelines. If you’re looking for a way to contribute, please consider becoming a substitute teacher.  

   

  Please consider reading these resources from El Paso County Public Health:

How sick is too sick guide  

• (Aug. 18, 2021, Last Updated 3/29/21)

Below you will find some of the latest information from the Center for Disease Control, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, and additional resources regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19). According to the CDC, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid exposure to this virus. However, the following preventative measures are recommended to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.

At the March 14 Board of Education meeting, D38 announced it would no longer maintain a COVID-19 dashboard due to the small number of cases in the district. The district will evaluate that decision should the COVID landscape change moving forward.

You can see our final 2021-2022 COVID situational update here.

You can find historical data here.

The resources listed above are provided for informational purposes only and are not endorsed by LPSD.