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COVID-19 Information and Resources

Updated March 15, 2022

What's New: As of March 13, 2022, Santa Catalina students, staff, and parents are longer obliged to wear masks indoors at school.

School protocols

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated guidance for all K-12 schools in the state. Our intention is to promote a safe, healthy, and rich in-person learning environment for all of our students and staff. In accordance with the updated state guidance, and in coordination with Monterey County health officials, Santa Catalina School has implemented the following protocols for the 2021-2022 school year.

Should I send my child to school?

If you believe your child may have COVID-19 or been in close contact with someone who has, answer the questions below to help determine whether it is safe for them to return to school.

Select from a category below to determine how to manage confirmed or suspected COVID-19 among students at school.

Student has COVID-19 symptoms

Has the student had close contact (been within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with a person who has COVID-19?

YES: Send home. Isolate and get tested even if fully vaccinated or previously infected. COVID-19 is very contagious. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate to prevent spreading the disease to your family, friends, and community.

NO: Does the student have one of the following?

  • Documentation from a healthcare provider for an underlying chronic health condition that matches their symptoms; OR
  • A negative SARS-CoV-2 test (a PCR test); OR
  • Has a healthcare provider confirmed an alternate (non-COVID) diagnosis to explain the symptoms?
Yes/No

YES: The student's symptoms do not appear to be related to COVID-19. Follow the guidelines below:

The student can return to school if they remain without a fever (without using fever-reducing medicines like Tylenol or Ibuprofen) for at least one full day (24 hours) AND all other symptoms are improving, if allowed by school protocols. Contact the Health Center for more information: 831.655.9347 or health.center@santacatalina.org.

NO: Send home. Isolate and get tested (if not tested already) even if fully vaccinated or previously infected. COVID-19 is very contagious. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate to prevent spreading the disease to your family, friends, and community.

Student has confirmed COVID-19

Send home. Isolate even if fully vaccinated or previously infected. COVID-19 is very contagious. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate to prevent spreading the disease to your family, friends, and community.

Download instructions about how to isolate and stay safe.

Student has had close contact with confirmed case of COVID-19

Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or longer over a 24-hour period.

Does the student who has been in close contact have any COVID-19 symptoms?

YES: Send home. Isolate and get tested even if fully vaccinated or previously infected. COVID-19 is very contagious. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should self-isolate to prevent spreading the disease to your family, friends, and community.

NO: Before being exposed to someone with COVID-19, was the student fully vaccinated OR previously infected within the last 90 days?

YES: Stay in school; no quarantine necessary. If a student is fully vaccinated and remains without symptoms, they should get tested 5 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, they should isolate and get tested immediately.

Vaccines are highly effective at protecting vaccinated people against symptomatic and severe COVID-19. Fully vaccinated people are less likely to get infected and spread the virus to others.

NO: Did exposure occur in a school setting, supervised by school staff, AND were both the person with COVID-19 and the exposed student wearing masks during the exposure?

YES: Modified quarantine: As long as the student does not have any symptoms, they may remain in school for in-person instruction only (no extracurriculars). Mask up and get tested. If the student has a negative PCR test result taken within 3 to 5 days after they were last exposed, and remains without symptoms, they may resume full activities after day 7. If symptoms develop, get tested right away.

During modified quarantine, students may continue in-person instruction but should refrain from most other activities, including sports.

When students are attending school during modified quarantine, they continue to be required to wear masks both indoors and outdoors. They may use school buses. They may participate in all required instructional components of the school day, except activities where a mask cannot be worn, such as while playing certain musical instruments or swimming. However, students on modified quarantine may eat meals on campus.

NO: Send home for standard quarantine (10 days). Get tested as soon as you're able to. If symptoms develop, get tested right away.
 
The student who has been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 should go home for standard quarantine. The student should stay home and apart from others because they may be infected and could spread the disease, even if they never feel sick. Anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms should immediately self-isolate and get tested.

If the student tests negative within 3 to 5 days after they were last exposed, and remains without symptoms, they may resume full activities after day 7, OR after 10 days from the last contact with an infected person if they were never tested.

Contact health.center@santacatalina.org if you have any additional questions.


Visitors to campus

Santa Catalina is limiting visitors to campus until further notice. Parents are permitted on campus for routine visits to divisional offices, in-person appointments, attendance at performances or sports contests, or the Health Center. Parents who are pre-registered for on-campus COVID-19 testing are permitted to enter campus. Any non-routine requests to visit campus should be directed to your child’s division office. No other visitors will be permitted access to campus unless they have an appointment.
 


Community expectations

We urge everyone in our community to take steps to protect good health. In order to mitigate the risk of infection and the spread of COVID-19, we ask you to incorporate these practices:

  • Get the COVID-19 vaccine, if eligible
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or approved hand sanitizers
  • Continue to follow public health orders and minimize exposure

Travel

Santa Catalina discourages non-essential travel and any activities that increase your risk of exposure and illness. If you must travel, notify your child’s division head before you do so.

On June 15, the California Department of Public Health provided this flyer to outline travel recommendations and restrictions. There are different sections for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.

School contacts

To report COVID-19 exposure or a suspected or confirmed case in your household, please notify your division head.

Lower and Middle School
Christy Pollacci
christy.pollacci@santacatalina.org

Upper School
Julie Lenherr Edson '88
julie.edson@santacatalina.org

Health Center
health.center@santacatalina.org
 

Useful resources

On-campus testing registration site

Santa Catalina COVID-19 prevention plan (download)

Health Agencies