September 26, 2022
Happy Monday! Today we are talking about the lifting of the COVID-19 emergency proclamations at the end of October and what this means for K-12 schools. Also, we are highlighting the inspiring work of Cape Flattery School District to maintain in-person learning throughout the pandemic.
While you’re here, check out these new school resources from L2R and DOH:
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- DOH School Ordering Portal FAQs. A quick guide for using the online portal to order testing supplies.
- DOH Guidance materials in Spanish. K-12 Guidance, Guidance Brief, and Parent Letter.
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COVID-19 Emergency Proclamations are Lifting: What does that mean for K-12 schools?
On October 31, the last of Governor Inslee’s COVID-19 emergency proclamations will be lifted, including those tied to some requirements for in-person learning in K-12 settings.
What does this mean for school testing and COVID-19 management as we prepare for likely COVID-19 surges this fall and winter?
We are getting the Learning Network together to talk about these changes, best practices for school testing moving forward, and how to provide safe in-person learning and extracurriculars throughout the fall and winter.
Join us for a panel discussion on October 4th from 10-11am PT to get insights from leaders on these issues before the emergency proclamations are lifted at the end of the month.
Our panel will include representatives from the Washington State Department of Health, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Association of Educational Service Districts.
Following the panel, school leaders will be invited to share their plans, concerns, and goals for the rest of the school year. The event will conclude with a Q&A session.
What to expect starting November 1st?
A few insights from DOH
The Department of Health will continue to provide COVID-19 guidance based on existing science, strategies, and the most recent health recommendations to protect school and child care communities and reduce COVID-19 transmission and outbreaks.
When the emergency proclamations are lifted at the end of October, some requirements will stay the same while others will become recommended strategies to mitigate COVID-19 transmission in schools and child care programs.
Here are a few details:
- Learn to Return COVID-19 testing supplies, distribution processes, and labor funding will continue to be available through the 2022-23 school year.
- The employee COVID-19 vaccination requirement will end on October 31st; this includes employees, volunteers, and indoor contractors in educational settings.
- How testing results are reported to DOH will not change.
- The requirement to report COVID-19 cases and outbreaks and work with public health will stay the same. This requirement was in effect for all notifiable conditions before the COVID-19 pandemic and will continue to be in effect for schools and child care programs.
- All COVID-19 cases, outbreaks, and suspected outbreaks in schools and child care settings are required to be reported to the Local Health Jurisdiction (LHJ) in accordance with Washington State law.
- Schools, child care providers, and the general public are required to cooperate with public health authorities in the investigation of cases and outbreaks that may be associated with the school or child care.
A Testing Success story
Cape Flattery Finds a Way Forward With School Testing
Cape Flattery School District worked closely with the Makah Tribe to set up batched testing for Neah Bay school teachers who lived outside of the reservation grounds during quarantine.
From the beginning of the pandemic, school testing played a crucial role in providing safe learning environments for students and providing testing for the wider school community.