March 11, 2022
Dear Escuela Families,
This week has been filled with the joy of seeing your children’s adorable faces – many of them for the first time – and watching them see each other’s faces as they worked and played together. This significant step has been marked by many students and staff commenting on the feeling of normalcy. It has also been a week of transition that has included some members of our community still feeling more comfortable masking, particularly indoors, and we fully support them in that.
After a full week of continual low cases across the state and optional masking on campus, we wanted to take an opportunity to clarify our plan and policies following the latest protocol update in anticipation of possible case spikes or a new variant. Masks are a tool we have to ensure a healthy campus, and we will continue to use this resource as appropriate.
We will reinstate masking under certain circumstances.
- If the CDC classifies Bernalillo county as being high-risk, we will reinstate indoor masking across campus until the county is moved out of that category.
- In the event an asymptomatic positive is detected during surveillance testing, the individual will be sent home and close contacts will be asked to mask.
- If the Test-to-Stay protocol is enacted, all of the students in the classroom will be required to wear masks indoors while on campus.
- Individuals who exhibit symptoms during the school day will be required to wear masks until they leave campus.
- While fully-vaccinated individuals who are close contacts with someone who has tested positive for Covid are not required to quarantine, we require that they wear a mask for five days beyond the last exposure per NMDOH guidelines. We will continue to require that close contacts provide a negative test result on Day 5.
Additionally, NMPED has just released an updated Toolkit that significantly changes the state’s guidance on Covid protocols and policies. We are in the process of reviewing the new Toolkit and will be sending a revised Covid Operating Plan next week. As always, we foresee that we will go above and beyond the PED requirements. In an effort to keep the line of communication open as we proceed, we invite you to continue to reach out to Covid Officer Elizabeth Marcilla with any questions.
Regards,
Kate Chavez ~ Executive Director
Elizabeth Marcilla ~ Administrative Director & Covid Officer
