Belle Plaine USD 357

Stay to Learn and Play

Guidelines Approved 01.13.22

In an effort to give staff and families choices throughout the school year, the following are guidelines to help everyone stay in school and remain in activities 

Close Contact to a COVID Positive Definition

A close contact is defined as someone who:

• Was within 3 feet of the person for 10 consecutive minutes or more
• Had contact with the person's respiratory secretions (for example, coughed or sneezed on; kissed; contact with a dirty tissue, shared a drinking glass, food, towels, or other personal items) OR
•  Live with the person or stayed overnight for at least one night in a house with the person.
• Please note: Students that are immunized and/or students that have had covid in the last 90 days are not deemed close contacts. If both the person with covid-19 and the close contact correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks, they are also not deemed a close contact.

 Options When You Are A Close Contact:

• If vaccinated- no quarantine necessary as long as there are no symptoms. If you develop ANY possible covid symptoms stay home and notify the school office to set up a drive up test outside of the school.
• If deemed a close contact and parents choose for the student to be involved in the stay to play protocol, the students will test on the first day of the protocol and the seventh day of the protocol.  Students will wear masks as part of the protocol during the seven days.  If a student in the Stay to Play protocol develops symptoms, they need to be tested regardless of the day of the Stay to Play protocol.
• If you do not want your student tested, they must quarantine at home for 7 days from the last exposure.  If there are no symptoms, return on day 8.

Isolation for Positive Covid Cases

People who test positive will be able to have a shortened home isolation for a period of 5 days if a person is asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication) followed by 5 days of masking with a well fitted mask when returning to school on day six.

Those who are symptomatic on day six will be able return when they are fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are resolving but will be required to mask through day 10.

When Do You Need A Test?

If your student is exhibiting any 2 symptoms (listed below) and/or fever, testing must be done prior to entry to school. Keep your student home. Call the office to schedule a drive up test. Tests can be done at the elementary school after 9 a.m.

Symptoms

• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Runny nose
• Headache
• Body aches
• Sore throat
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Sudden loss of taste
• Sudden loss of smell
• Fatigue
• Fever Temperature of 100 or greater is an automatic “NO GO” regardless of other symptoms.

Consent for Rapid Covid Testing