Students safely returning to in-person instruction is a priority. We all play a part in keeping schools safe and helping students stay healthy all year. We have implemented layered prevention strategies to keep everyone healthy, especially those not yet able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.  Our layered safety mitigation and prevention measures align to Washington State Department of Health (DOH) (available here) and Washington Governor Jay Inslee's recent directives and guidelines.

Federal and state health officials remind us that getting the COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from getting sick and helps prevent severe COVID-related illness, hospitalizations, and death.

School preventative measures for this school year include:

• Face Coverings/Masks (in school and on school buses)
• Physical Distancing
• Improved ventilation
• Cleaning & Disinfecting
• Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette
• Staying home when sick
• Vaccination
• Testing
• Responding to COVID-19 Cases

On Aug. 18, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee announced a new directive legally requiring all PK–12 school district employees and substitutes to get a COVID-19 vaccination or a medical or religious exemption by October 18, 2021. We are working with our staff now to comply with the new requirement. There is currently no requirement for student COVID vaccinations, though we continue to work with local and state healthcare organizations to provide COVID vaccination opportunities for students and families.

We continue to monitor guidance from the Department of Health and the state education office to determine if changes regarding in-person instruction need to occur.

Washington Department of Health (DOH) recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask-wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. However, when it is impossible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, it is vital to layer multiple other prevention strategies.

There may be moments, such as passing by others in the hallway or during play at recess, when students are not fully physically distanced from each other. Schools will maximize opportunities to increase physical space between students during all scheduled activities and limit interactions in large group settings.

Schools will maximize the distance between students to the degree possible for the following circumstances in alignment with DOH Guidance: 

• For all students when masks cannot be worn, such as when eating lunch  
• In common areas outside of the classroom 
• During high-risk activities when increased exhalation or aerosolization occurs, such as PE or exercise, singing or playing instruments, and cheering or shouting. These activities may be moved outdoors or to large, well-ventilated spaces whenever possible.

Please keep your student home when they show symptoms of COVID or have a known exposure to someone with COVID-19. Please don’t send your student to school if they have any symptoms.

The graphic below offers the Washington Department of Health (DOH) updated COVID-19 Symptom Decision Trees for Schools. Using these guidelines, here are steps we take when a student show symptoms of COVID or is in close contact with someone who has COVID:

• A person with a single non-systemic symptom (congestion or runny nose; nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; headache; fatigue; sore throat) that resolves within 24 hours can return to school/work without a testing requirement IF they are not a close contact to someone who is COVID positive. 
• Symptoms must significantly improve for a person to return to school/work. 
• Fully vaccinated people or people who tested positive for COVID in the past three months who are symptomatic close contacts who test negative and whose symptoms significantly improve can return to school/work and do not need to quarantine. 

Quarantine: 

Renton School District is adopting the 10-day quarantine period for close contacts to better align with the broader community and to increase student and staff attendance. DOH and Public Health offer 7-, 10- and 14-day quarantine options. We previously used the 14-day option.

Test Results:

Families and staff can provide test results of either PCR or rapid antigen laboratory tests to return to school. The results can be electronic or paper versions and must include the patient’s name, birthdate and test result.

What should I do if my student is a Close Contact?

• Keep your child home (“quarantine”) and away from other people
• Watch for COVID-19 symptoms (see list below).
• Your child should not attend school, child care, or participate in other social or community activities during quarantine.
• Your child’s siblings and other household members do not have to quarantine unless your child develops symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.
• Participate in a public health interview. Public health contact tracers may reach out to you by text or phone call because your child may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. They will share information about what to do and what support is available. They will always keep your information confidential. Contact tracers will never ask for money, bank or credit card information, passwords, or immigration status.
• If your child was fully vaccinated before the date of exposure, please notify your school (information on letter) so they can provide alternate guidance, as fully vaccinated close contacts do not need to quarantine.
• Ensure everyone in your household is vaccinated, if eligible. COVID-19 vaccines are the most effective tool we have to prevent severe illness and death from this virus.

Should my child be tested for COVID-19?

• Your school is working closely with local public health to ensure a safe learning environment. Your child should be tested for COVID-19 infection at least 5 days after their most recent exposure or if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. If your child’s test result shows that they have COVID-19, please notify your school as soon as possible.
• Call your medical provider for testing or visit Public Health – Seattle & King County’s website to find a testing site.
• If your child’s test is negative, they must still quarantine through date on letter. A negative test does not necessarily mean your child does not have COVID-19. The test result only means that they did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing.

What are the common symptoms of COVID-19?

Most COVID-19 cases are mild with fever and cough. Adults and children with COVID-19 have reported the following symptoms or combinations of symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:

• Fever of 100.4°F / 38°C or higher
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
•  Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please talk to your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.

Find additional COVID-19 information at Public Health – Seattle & King County.

• Masks are essential in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting those unable to be vaccinated. Face coverings are required for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, inside school buildings and at indoor events and outdoor sporting events with 500 or more people in attendance.  
• Washington State is continuing its existing requirement for all students and employees to wear masks indoors because children under age 12 are not eligible for vaccination and the rise in COVID-19 cases.
• This is state law and not up to the option of the local jurisdictions, said Governor Jay Inslee on July 28, 2021.

In-door mask requirements

All students, school personnel, volunteers, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, must wear cloth face coverings, or an acceptable alternative (e.g., surgical mask or clear face shield with a drape), at school when indoors. *Staff who are verified to be fully vaccinated may be indoors without masks when students are not present or expected to be present.

Outdoor mask requirements

Face coverings are required at outdoor sporting events with 500 or more people, regardless of vaccination status. Face coverings may be required for student-athletes as determined by the Department of Health and the risk level of the sport.

Although Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition (HVAC) systems cannot prevent the spread of a virus from one person to another, modifications to the system can be made to minimize the spread from one space to another. The Renton School District worked with an outside agency to evaluate the HVAC systems in all of our schools and followed recommendations provided.  See a video of this work. Based on the recommendations, the Renton School District is:

• Increasing the flow of fresh, outside air, during student/staff occupancy.
• Flushing buildings nightly with high volumes of outside air.
• Installing air filters with a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating MERV-13, where possible. Typical school systems utilize a filter with a MERV rating of somewhere between MERV-8 and MERV-11. The update to a MERV-13 will help to further reduce risk and help capture airborne virus particles.
• Changing air filters in a building when there is a positive COVID case.

Renton School District has a dedicated custodial response team to support additional cleaning and disinfecting when needed at schools. Our custodial staff have been trained to use specific protocols for cleaning after COVID-19 exposure.

• Schools follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines developed by DOH and Public Health for school campuses, including classrooms, workspaces, outdoor spaces, and playgrounds. 
• We clean and disinfect high-touch areas each night after students leave and when someone is sick in the room. 
• These are basic cleaning definitions:
  • Cleaning removes germs, dirt, food, body fluids, and other material.
  • Sanitizing reduces germs on surfaces to safe levels.
  • Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces of a clean object.

On Aug. 18, 2021, Washington Governor Jay Inslee released new COVID immunization guidelines for K-12 staff statewide. Inslee announced all PK-12 staff, including substitutes, are required to provide proof of receiving a COVID vaccination as a condition of employment. The order also includes onsite volunteer and contractors. Employees, volunteers and contractors will have until October 18 to be fully vaccinated.

The safety-requirement mandate does not include students. While COVID vaccination is not a requirement for students, it is the strongest protective measure against COVID available to individuals 12 years of age and older. Wearing masks provides a proven layer of protection.

Renton School District continues to partner with community health providers to host vaccination events for staff and eligible students and families.

For those looking for COVID vaccinations in our area, HealthPoint offers a convenient, drive-through option to receive the Pfizer vaccine at their HealthPoint COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Site located in Renton at 805 SW 10th Street, Renton (formerly the vehicle emissions testing station off Grady Way).

• Staying home when sick is essential to keep infections out of schools and prevent spread to others.  
• Students and school employees who have COVID-like symptoms, including of infectious illness like flu and colds, should stay home and seek medical evaluation, including testing for COVID and other respiratory infections.

Most coronavirus illnesses are mild with fever and cough. Adults and children with COVID-19 have reported the following symptoms or combinations of symptoms. These may appear 2–14 days after exposure to the virus:

• Fever of 100.4°F or 38°C or higher
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Fatigue
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Other signs of new illness that are unrelated to a preexisting condition (such as seasonal allergies)

This list does not include all possible symptoms. Please talk to your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you. Children with COVID-19 usually have milder symptoms.

Washington Department of Health (DOH) has updated its COVID-19 Symptom Decision Trees for Schools.

Washington Department of Health (DOH) has updated its COVID-19 Symptom Decision Trees for Schools. Public Health—Seattle & King County is fully aligned with the DOH update and will withdraw its COVID-19 Return to Work/School Flow Chart.  

Changes include:

• A person with a single non-systemic symptom (congestion or runny nose; nausea, vomiting or diarrhea;  cough (new, changed, or worsening); headache; fatigue; sore throat) that resolves within 24 hours can return to school/work without a testing requirement IF they are not a close contact to someone who is COVID positive. 
• Symptoms must significantly improve for a person to return to school/work. 
• Those who have COVID symptoms and are deemed close contacts, and are fully vaccinated or who recovered from COVID in the past three months and test negative for COVID, and whose symptoms significantly improve, can return to school/work and do not need to quarantine.

Quarantine: 

Renton School District is adopting the 10-day quarantine period for close contacts to better align with the broader community and to increase student and staff attendance. DOH and Public Health offer 7-, 10- and 14-day quarantine options. We previously used the 14-day option.

Test Results:

Families and staff can provide test results of either PCR or rapid antigen laboratory tests to return to school. The results can be electronic or paper versions and must include the patient’s name, birthdate and test result.

Test to Stay: Public Health has approved our work to design a Test to Stay program and associated modified quarantine process to apply to situations when a student is exposed to COVID-19 in school (additional information will soon be provided as we finalize the process).

Layered Strategies: 

We will continue to practice all our mitigating strategies (vaccination, masking, distancing, ventilation, hand and respiratory hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting, staying home when sick and testing) to prevent COVID spread in our school, and community.

If a person tests positive for COVID by a molecular or antigen test, they can return to school when the following criteria are met:  

• 14 days since symptom onset, or since positive test specimen collection date if no symptoms are present (up to 20 days for those who are severely ill or severely immunocompromised), AND 
• 24 hours after fever resolves without the use of fever-reducing medications, AND 
• Symptoms have improved. 

This isolation guidance applies regardless of vaccination status.

Public Health Seattle & King County COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidance.

“Close Contact” includes anyone in one or more of the following categories:

• Been within 6 feet (2 meters) of a person with COVID-19 for a combined total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour period
• Live in the same household as a person with COVID-19
• Cared for a person with COVID-19
• Been in direct contact with saliva or other body secretions from a person with COVID-19 (for example: been coughed on, kissed, shared utensils, etc.)

In a K-12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were at least 3 feet away from an infected student when

• Both students were wearing face coverings/masks AND
• Other prevention strategies were in place
• This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.

If you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and you have no symptoms, Public Health recommends the following:

1. Stay in quarantine for 14 days after your last contact. This is the safest option.
2. If this is not possible, stay in quarantine for 10 days after your last contact, without additional testing.
3. If the first two options are not possible, stay in quarantine for 7 full days beginning after your last contact and if you receive a negative test result (get tested no sooner than day 5 after your last contact). This option depends on availability of testing resources and may not be recommended in some settings.

*Fully vaccinated people (2 weeks after last vaccination dose) with no symptoms do not need to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure. Watch for symptoms for 14 days. 

Visitor/Volunteer Expectations

To keep students, staff, and guests safe at school, visitors and volunteers are asked to adhere to the following health and safety guidelines:

• Wear a mask over your mouth and nose at all times
• Sign in and out, to help with contact tracing
• Stay 6 feet physically distanced
• Wash hands frequently

Visitors

Visitors are individuals whose actions do not rise to the level of a volunteer and may include a parent, close relative or guardian, or others who visit a school for an event involving a student.

Visitors do not need to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Examples of visitors include:

• Sports event attendees
• Theater production audience members ushers
• Event speakers
• Career-day presenters
• Family members/guardians attending conferences, evaluation, IEP, or 504 meetings

Volunteers

Volunteers are those who engage or are likely to engage in work near others while physically present at a school building or other district site for longer periods of time.

Per State Education Office (OSPI) guidelines, volunteers are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

Examples of volunteers include:

• Regularly scheduled or periodic classroom assistants
• PTA or classroom volunteers
• Playground, library, cafeteria assistants
• Event or field trip chaperone
• Academic Support
• Sports or activity assistants

Sporting Activities

Sporting activities must follow the requirements listed below. In this document, universal masking means that face coverings are required for all participants, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required at indoor events and outdoor events with 500 or more in attendance. Beginning October 18, all volunteers must be fully vaccinated.

Athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel should maintain at least 6 feet to the degree possible when not playing (e.g., on the bench, in the dugout, on the sideline, in locker rooms and other similar situations).

Mask Requirements for Sporting Activities

• Universal masking is required by all athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and support personnel when in weight rooms, regardless of vaccination status. Practice physical distancing to the degree possible.
• Masks are not required for athletes while competing in low-contact or moderate-contact sports indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are encouraged when practicing indoors. Universal masking is required indoors when not practicing or competing.
• Masks are not required for fully vaccinated athletes competing in high-contact indoor sports. Masks are not required for unvaccinated athletes competing in high-contact indoor sports if they participate in screening testing. Masks are encouraged when practicing indoors. Universal masking is required indoors when not practicing or competing.
  • Indoor basketball, wrestling, and water polo are high-contact sports and require screening testing of unvaccinated individuals in order to participate.
  • Cheer is a high aerosol-generating activity. Fully vaccinated cheerleaders do not have to wear a mask when practicing, performing or competing. Unvaccinated cheerleaders do not have to wear a mask when practicing, performing or competing if they participate in screening testing. Universal masking of cheerleaders is required indoors when not practicing, performing or competing.
  • High contact indoor athletes who are engaging in practices off-season must either:
    • Practice universal masking at all times, regardless of vaccination status; or
    • Initiate the screening testing protocol of unvaccinated athletes to allow the removal of masks by all athletes, vaccinated and unvaccinated, while practicing. Masks must be worn at all other times when not practicing, regardless of vaccination status.
• Masks are not required for students athletes at outdoor sports of any contact level but are recommended in settings where unvaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and/or support personnel are in close proximity, such as standing on the sidelines, in a huddle, or sitting in a dugout.
• Masking is required universally for all spectators attending indoor and outdoor K-12 sporting activities, regardless of vaccination status. Audience members should be seated in “family units” and those small groups should be spaced at least 3 feet apart.

Screening Testing for Sporting Activities

• Twice-weekly screening testing is required for all unvaccinated athletes in high contact indoor sports (basketball, wrestling, water polo). Fully vaccinated athletes do not have to participate in screening testing. A rapid antigen test should be performed on all unvaccinated athletes within 24 hours of the competition. In a multi-day event, testing should occur before each competition. The second test during the week should be performed 3-4 days prior to or after the competition and may be a molecular or antigen test. If a molecular test is performed, the athlete does not need to isolate while awaiting screening test results unless they are exhibiting symptoms.
• Unvaccinated athletes participating in indoor low or moderate contact sports are recommended, but not required, to participate in screening testing once or twice weekly.
• Any athlete with a positive test must be excluded from the event and removed from the venue.
• Unvaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel identified as close contacts should quarantine immediately, even if they recently had a negative test.
• Fully vaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel identified as close contacts should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate and follow appropriate guidance if they test positive. If they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, they should isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19.

Performing Arts Classes

• Face coverings/masks are not required when outdoors. Distancing of at least 3 feet is also recommended outdoors. When indoors, universal masking of all students and faculty is required, per the Secretary of Health’s Mask Order.
• Universal masking is required by all students and staff in performing arts classes and while participating in performing arts activities.
• Aerosol-producing musicians, e.g., singers, woodwinds and brass, speech/debate, and theater performers are required to wear appropriate masks/face coverings and/or use appropriate bell covers while performing. Woodwinds and brass performers may remove their face coverings/masks when performing on their instrument and must replace their face covering/mask during non-performance time. Face coverings/masks with slits are recommended but not required.
• Universal masking is required in general music and elementary classrooms when singing is performed.
• Bell covers are required for brass and woodwind instruments when indoors. Bell covers are recommended when playing outdoors but not required.
• Reduce shared equipment to the degree possible. Students will use hand sanitizer before using shared equipment like music stands.

Performances

• For performances, audience members should be seated in “family units” and those small groups should be spaced at least 3 feet apart. All audience members must wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.
• Universal masking is required during performances for participants, including appropriate face coverings and bell covers on woodwind and brass instruments.

Testing Requirements for Performing Arts

• Any participant with a positive test must be excluded from the event and removed from the venue.
• Unvaccinated students, teachers, or other support personnel identified as close contacts should quarantine immediately, even if they recently had a negative test.
• Fully vaccinated students, teachers, or other support personnel identified as close contacts should be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate and follow appropriate guidance if they test positive.
• All point of care test results should be reported to the DOH in accordance with guidance available at the Reporting COVID-19 Test Results for Point-of-Care Testing Facilities site.

Other Extracurricular Activities (Clubs, Interest Groups, STEM Fairs, Field Trips, etc.)

• Universal masking of all students, staff, volunteers is required indoors. Face coverings or masks are not required outdoors but are recommended in settings where students and attendees will be in sustained close proximity or if there is potential for crowding.
• Physical distancing of at least three feet is required indoors to the degree possible.
• For shows, exhibits etc., visitors or audience members should be seated or travel through exhibits in “family units” and those small groups should be spaced at least 3 feet apart. All students, audience members, judges, or other guests must wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status.
• Any activity involving Performing Arts (e.g., talent show, international night, etc.) or Sports should follow the guidance provided in those sections.

The Renton School District’s Transportation Department’s mission is to provide safe, effective, and efficient transportation focusing on the safety and wellbeing of all students.  To do this, we are following the Department of Health, Labor & Industry, and the Office of the Superintendent Public Instruction to determine how to safely transport students to school.  

Student Expectations

• Face Coverings:  All students will be required to wear a face covering when riding the bus unless they are exempt due to a medical reason.  Students will not be left at a bus stop unattended because they do not have a mask, as drivers will carry additional masks for students who do not have one.
• Seating: Students will be encouraged to spread out and distance themselves from other students on the bus, as possible.  Siblings will be required to sit with one another on the bus, to allow for less interaction between students not from the same family.  Students are not allowed to sit in the first row of the school bus. There is no restriction on the number of riders permitted on a bus for COVID, and parents should be aware that buses are anticipated to have larger loads than last year. Drivers will create seating charts to assist with possible contact tracing.

Safety Precautions

• Windows will be kept open as much as possible, to maximize the outside air.  This will be weather dependent, but, at a minimum, windows will be cracked, and roof air vents will be open.
• Cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces (e.g. handrails) will be done between routes by each bus driver, using the Alpha HP cleaner/disinfectant.  Custodial staff will disinfect buses nightly using Purtabs disinfectant.  

Bus Driver Expectations

• Face Coverings:  All drivers will wear face coverings. Drivers will wear a face shield with a cloth mask (cloth masks alone are not acceptable), KN95, or non-FDA approved procedure mask.
• Safety Materials:  Drivers will also be supplied with optional safety glasses, goggles, gowns, and gloves.

Positive COVID-19 Test or COVID Symptoms

• Buses that have transported students that test positive for COVID-19 will be put out of service until they are thoroughly disinfected.
• Transportation will be unable to transport a student home if they have been isolated at school for possible COVID symptoms.