Before the First 10 Days of School

• Parent/Guardian should review DVUSD Parent/Guardian Expectations that are posted on the DVUSD at www.dvusd.org/remaininschool.

Before Leaving Home

• Parent/guardian should adhere to the protocol below for symptom screening:
  • Check in with your child each morning for signs of illness. If your child has a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher, he/she should not go to school.
  • Make sure your child does not have a sore throat or other signs of illness, like a cough, congestion or running nose, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, severe headache, vomiting, or body aches. Parents should routinely check MCDPH guidance regarding what symptoms are related to COVID-19.
  • If your child has tested positive for COVID-19 (or is awaiting test results), he/she should not go to school. Follow MCDPH guidance on what to do when someone has tested positive or awaiting test results.  Parent should complete necessary reporting procedures at www.dvusd.org/covidreporting.
  • If your child has had close contact with a COVID-19 case, follow MCDPH guidance on what to do when someone has known exposure. Parent should complete necessary reporting procedures at www.dvusd.org/covidreporting.

Bus Safety

• Maximum of two students per seat when possible. Please note that this may not be possible in many situations.
• All students, bus drivers and monitors are required to wear a face covering. This is mandated by the Centers for Disease Control and the Federal Transportation Security Administration. If your child is using District provided transportation, the parent/guardian should provide the child with a clean cloth face mask daily. (Drivers are not required to wear a face mask when alone on a bus.) See MCDPH guidance for transportation.
• Increased sanitizing and disinfecting procedures will occur on a daily basis. This will consist of:
  • disinfecting the bus after the A.M. routes and after the P.M. routes.
  • special education buses will be sanitized and disinfected more often due to the midday routes.

At School

• As is normal practice, staff members will visually assess students for illness symptoms throughout the day.
• Any student with visible symptoms will be taken to an isolation area, where parents will be contacted for pick up.
  • Campus leaders will identify an isolation area(s) to place a student (or staff member) who presents COVID-19 symptoms so as to separate the child from other students.
  • Campus leaders will be provided with specific Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (e.g. masks, gowns, gloves, eye protection, etc.).
  • Student will need to wear a face mask while in the isolation area.
• Parents should contact the school nurse well in advance for students with unique health considerations (e.g. chronic allergies, etc.).

Face Masks

• Face masks are optional. See the CDC’s Guidance for their recommendations on who should wear face masks. Exceptions to face masks being optional are:
  • Students and staff must continue to wear face masks when on school busses due to federal requirements by the Centers for Disease Control and the Transportation Security Administration.
  • Symptomatic students and staff will be required to use them in the nurse’s office.
  • Students who refuse to wear a face mask during required times are subject to discipline.
• Face mask requirements are determined in conjunction with local and/or state agencies.
• For families that choose to have their child(ren) wear a face mask, breaks will be provided for students to remove their face masks.

Health & Hygiene Considerations, Cleaning and Disinfection

• Frequent hand washing or sanitizing will be encouraged at regular intervals throughout the day. At a minimum, this will be encouraged at:
  • Start and end of day.
  • Before and after lunch and snack.
  • Before and after transitions/rotations/recess.
  • Before and after using the restroom.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided by the school
  • Permanent and portable hand sanitizing stations in critical areas such as front offices, lobby areas of gyms, cafeterias, nurse offices, libraries, etc.
  • Although DVUSD has ample supply of hand sanitizer, parents are encouraged to send hand sanitizer with their child for personal use.
• Sanitizing & Disinfecting
  • Periodic sanitization of frequently touched surfaces (e.g. tables, desks, faucets, sinks, light switches, doorknobs, etc.) during the school day to reduce bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi on surfaces to levels acceptable by public health agencies.
    • Outdoor areas generally require normal routine cleaning and do not require disinfection. This is consistent with MCDPH guidance regarding cleaning and disinfection in the school setting.
    • DVUSD utilizes the safest and most effective cleaning chemical to use around stakeholders. Both staff and students can safely sanitize using this chemical.
  • Disinfection to occur at the end of each school day by trained cleaning staff members of frequently touched surfaces (e.g. tables, desks, faucets, sinks, light switches, doorknobs, etc.)
    • DVUSD uses hospital grade disinfectant registered by the EPA that kills the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus.
• District Office and schools will promote health and safety protocols by posting health and hygiene posters in the following areas:
  • Front office
  • Nurse’s office
  • Hallways and classrooms
• Indoor Air Quality & Management
  • Classroom space scheduled to be purged with outside air each morning prior to the school day and outside air introduced throughout the school day
    • DVUSD mechanical systems filter outdoor & indoor air
      • Mechanical Systems are engineered for specific size, thickness, media requirements, restriction, replacement schedule
      • Air filters are changed on a regular schedule, and on an as-needed basis when warranted
    • DVUSD classrooms contain a HEPA air filter for enhanced air quality.
    • Students will be encouraged to bring at least a full water bottle each day with the student’s name clearly labeled on it. Drinking fountains are operational this school year.

Food Services

• Meals continue to be free throughout the 2021-22 school year. When students choose individual portions such as beverages (including milk), and snack items, charges will apply.
• Students will continue to receive meals through Nutrition Services or they may bring meals from home.
• Cafeteria staff will use touchless procedures or ID card scanners to key students in for meals or limited extra items. (Frequently sanitized PIN pads will be used in absence of ID cards.)
• There will be no self-service bar for staff and students - condiments will be pre-packaged.
• DVUSD will follow the CDC's "No Sharing" guidelines with all food and drinks.
• Parents may use the DVUSD Birthday Bucket option if desired. Prepackaged birthday treats are permitted following campus expectations. These items must be submitted to the school 4 days prior to serving to students.

Social/Physical Distancing

• Schools will attempt to implement strategies for arrival and dismissal to stagger various waves of students.
• Classrooms will be organized to allow for 3 feet at times and will also include times when 3 feet is not provided. (Parents should have no expectation that a certain amount of physical distancing will occur.)
• Schools will use consistent seating charts.
• During at least the first quarter of the school year students will report directly to classrooms when they arrive at school.
• Breakfast/Lunch
  • K-6 and K-8
    • Social distancing in the cafeteria requires tables facing one way and students sitting 3 feet apart when possible.
    • Keep students in cohort groups if possible when they use the cafeteria.
  • Middle and High School will increase the distance between lunch tables and use outside tables when possible.
• Schools are permitted to hold assemblies. This is subject to change per District discretion.
• At Elementary Recess:
  • K-5 classrooms will provide 2 recesses per day to remain consistent with state law.
  • Classrooms will be allowed to use playground equipment (e.g. swings, play structure, etc.).
  • During lunch recess, classrooms will have designated outside areas to play and a schedule will be developed so that classroom and/or grade level cohorts stay together (as much as possible).
    • It is possible that social distancing will not occur during recess times.
• Middle and High Schools will return to a regular 6 period per day schedule. (DVMS will follow a modified block schedule.)
• Off campus field trips will be permitted. Virtual field trips and assemblies will be encouraged as well.

Visitors/Volunteers

• During Quarter 1, visitors and volunteers are not permitted on school campuses during the school day when students are mandated by the state of Arizona to be in school. This is subject to revision for Quarter 2.
  • Visitors/volunteers may be allowed per normal District and campus procedures beginning 30 minutes after dismissal and field trips.
• Front office staff will continue to attempt to conduct all business with the public via appointments. Community members are encouraged to conduct business with front offices by scheduling appointments ahead of time.
• Front offices will be configured in a manner that limits the number of persons so that social distancing can occur. Front office staff will direct the public to wait outside if the maximum number of persons is reached inside the front office.
• PTA Activities K-12
  • No restrictions on activities conducted outside of regular school day. PTA activities are subject to regular campus expectations and approval processes. DVUSD may change this guidance depending on levels of COVID-19 spread in the community.
• K-12 “Meet the Teacher”/Back to School/Student Orientation events are permitted.
• Parents/Guardians of students who attend Community Education Before and After School programs will be permitted to drop off at the designated campus location up until 10 minutes prior to school starting. Parents/Guardians will be permitted to pick up their child(ren) from this program 15 minutes after the final bell.

Athletics and Extracurricular Activities

• Athletics and extracurricular activities at all levels (preK-12) will be permitted in 2021-22.
• High school athletics will follow AIA rules for competition.
• Specific practices and procedures will be provided by the District’s Director or Operations and Athletics and the District’s Fine Arts CIAS.
• Limitations on the number of visitors for the events may be implemented depending on levels of COVID-19 spread in the community.

Protocols

• Protocol - Notification of COVID-19 Case to Community - DVUSD will follow the guidelines outlined in ADHS Emergency Measure 2020-03 and notify current staff, faculty, students, and students’ parents and guardians if an outbreak due to COVID-19 occurs within the population of a school within 24 hours of confirming such information.
  • ADHS defines an outbreak as two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff with onsets within a 14-day period, who are epidemiologically linked, do not share a household, and were not identified as close contacts of each other in another setting during standard case investigation or contact tracing.
• Protocol - When a student tests positive for COVID-19:
  • Student should stay at home and not report to school. Student and parents should follow DVUSD COVID-19 reporting procedures.
  • Family will be contacted by a school or District staff member to complete the contact tracing interview protocol.
  • School or district staff member will notify those student(s) or staff who have close contact with the student who tested positive. The school will notify all other students in the class as applicable.
  • Student may return to school after the student meets the requirements set forth by Maricopa County Department of Public Health.
  • (07/21/21 - *Quarantine procedures are under review for possible changes by public health*) Students and staff members who have had close contact with a student or staff member who has tested positive will be notified via a phone call and a letter. A student can be released early from quarantine on Day 8 or after only if the student receives a negative COVID-19 test result beginning on Day 6 of the quarantine or after. In order to do this, the parent must provide proof of the negative result along with the date of the test and the student must be symptom free since the last exposure. (The exceptions to quarantine for being a close contact are the following: 1) the student is fully vaccinated (14 days past the final dose and proof can be provided) and symptom free and 2) if a student has been COVID-19 positive in the last 90 days and proof can be shown. The student must be symptom free as well.) DVUSD is required by law to follow quarantine protocols due to ARS 36-788. DVUSD will follow other exemptions as they evolve and are outlined in MCDPH quarantine guidance.
  • The classroom and other areas where the student who tested positive for COVID-19 will be disinfected according to guidelines from Maricopa County Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control.
• Protocol - Student is sick with COVID-19 Symptoms without a Positive Test or Awaiting Test Results
  • Protocol is the same as if the student had tested positive for COVID-19. If the test returns a negative result, the student must stay home until symptoms are improving and he/she has been fever-free without medication for 24 hours. Parent/guardian should check with the school nurse if there are questions.
  • When students are absent for documented COVID-related reasons (quarantined or self-isolated) by DVUSD in accordance with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) guidelines, students will have access to the curriculum and daily content through Canvas to receive instruction. Certain federally mandated programs may provide additional support.
    • K-6
      • Students will have the opportunity to have curricular support using their Canvas courses as well as options for connecting with their teacher.
      • Teachers will communicate with absent students due to COVID-19 related reasons a minimum of 2 check ins per week (during school hours)
    • 7-12
      • Students will have the opportunity to have curricular support using Canvas and/or scheduling an appointment with the teacher.
• Protocol - Close Contact for a Student with Someone Who is COVID-19 Positive
  • (07/21/21 - *Quarantine procedures are under review for possibly change(s) by public health*)
  • If a student is in close contact with a positive case of COVID-19 (e.g. household member or other member of the community), then:
    • Student should stay at home and not go to school. Student and parents should follow DVUSD COVID-19 reporting procedures.
    • Stay home and monitor for symptoms for 10 days.  A student can be released early from quarantine on Day 8 or after only if the student receives a negative COVID-19 test result beginning on Day 6 of the quarantine or after. In order to do this, the student must be separated from the COVID-19 positive person, be symptom free since the last exposure, and the parent must provide proof of the negative result along with the date of the test. DVUSD is required by law to follow quarantine protocols due to ARS 36-788.
    • There are two exceptions - The first exception to being a close contact is if a student has been COVID-19 positive in the last 90 days. In this situation, if the parent can prove the student was COVID-19 positive in the last 90 days, then the student does not need to be quarantined. The student must be symptom free as well. The second exception is if the student is fully vaccinated (and can show proof of vaccination) and symptom free. (This is defined as 14 days past the final dose.) DVUSD will follow other exemptions as they evolve and are outlined in MCDPH quarantine guidance
• Chronic Allergies or Other Chronic Symptoms that Mirror COVID-19
  • Parents should inform the campus administrator and school nurse of the situation, and preferably, well in advance of any situation.
  • Known chronic symptoms should be monitored by the student and their family.
  • Any student with a chronic illness from a known and documented diagnosis e.g. allergies, migraine headaches, may return to school when symptoms have improved, and student has no fever for 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. Any student with non-resolving symptoms should be assessed by a physician.
• Student is Sick with Something Other than COVID-19 (e.g. strep throat)
  • If student has a lab confirmed diagnosed condition from a medical provider for something such as strep throat, then student can return without isolating for 10 days provided that the student is symptom-free, fever-free without medication for 24 hours, and is able to provide documentation of the lab result to the school nurse.
  • When students are absent for reasons other than COVID-related illnesses or quarantine, students will have access to the curriculum and daily content through Canvas to receive instruction.
    • K-12
      • Students will have the opportunity to have curricular support using their Canvas courses to stay on track with learning, assignments, and other classroom related tasks while absent.
• Attendance Procedures - CUTS, loss of credit, etc. - Schools will adjust absence procedures for CUTS, loss of credit, etc. to account for the increased absences due to COVID-19.