Polson School District shares plan to remain in phase 3 status
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POLSON — As the school year nears, Polson School District officials continue to monitor the situation with COVID-19 in our country and specifically within Lake County. We are committed to full-time, in-person instruction, activity participation, and parent engagement in our schools. We look forward to focusing on what we do best, supporting the growth and success of our students.
Keeping our staff, students and community safe and healthy remains a top priority for the 2021-2022 school year. We continue to thoughtfully consider decisions regarding COVID-19. Much like last year, an approach that prioritizes safety while also providing the highest quality educational experience is an extremely challenging and sensitive process with many considerations. We are monitoring our county data closely and continually discussing the developing guidance and recommendation that we receive from federal, state and local health authorities. I would like to update you regarding our current plans, whilealso cautioning that plans may need to change based on the constantly evolving COVID-19 situation within our schools and community.
At the June 14, 2021, Polson School Board meeting the board of trustees voted to transition from phase two to phase three of the district’s COVID Operational Phases. Currently, the Polson School Board of Trustees supports remaining in phase three status, applicable to all school and extracurricular activities. Please refer to the full explanation of protocols in place for opening in phase three. All three phases are explained in detail on our school website, www.polson.k12.mt.us.
Below are the recommendations from Lake County and Tribal public health officials:
Lake County and Tribal public health officials strongly recommend that anyone 12 years of age or older be vaccinated against COVID-19, as long as they are without any contraindications to the COVID-19 vaccine.
Please note the following regarding isolation and quarantines for COVID-19:
-If someone tests positive for COVID-19, that person will have a mandatory 10-day isolation period regardless of vaccination status.
-If someone is a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 (defined as anyone who was within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before the person began feeling sick (or tested positive in the case of asymptomatic persons) until the time the patient was isolated): any unvaccinated close contact will have:
-A 10-day quarantine if he or she has no symptoms and no COVID-19 test, or a seven-day quarantine with no symptoms and a negative COVID-19 test. The negative test must have been completed five days after the initial exposure. If the test result doesn’t come back by the end of seven days, the close contact must quarantine until results come back negative or until after day 10. The test can either be a PCR test (which is primarily the test given at the hospital) or a rapid antigen test.
-If someone is a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19 and is vaccinated and not symptomatic, that person will not have to be quarantined. All Montanans aged 12 and older are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
-In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition makes an exception for students who were within three to six feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) where: both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of well-fitting masks; and other K–12 school prevention strategies (such as universal and correct mask use, physical distancing, increased ventilation) were in place in the K–12 school setting. This exception does not apply to teachers, staff or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.
Fully maximizing the highest quality in-person instruction will be our focus this year. As a result, the stand-alone remote education platform that was in place last year will not be offered. We are hopeful this approach can maintain an appropriate level of safety and respect within our school community.
Please understand the health and safety of our staff and students is and will continue to be a priority that guides decision making. As always, thank you for your support of Polson School District 23.
