MPCSD Pandemic Response Update - Superintendent Update January 13, 2021 - Board Docs
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MPCSD Pandemic
Response Update
Superintendent Update
January 13, 2021
National, State & Local Updates
National, State, & Local Updates
Omicron is everywhere.
National, State, & Local Updates And while, a smaller percentage of individuals are sick enough to require hospitalization as compared to the Delta surge, Omicron is putting a great deal of pressure on the national health care system.
National, State, & Local Updates In December, and increased as of today, President Biden announced the federal government’s plan to provide 1 billion at-home COVID tests to American families. The website to request those tests is scheduled to launch this weekend. MPCSD will track the announcement of the website and send an email to all families as soon as we know the link. Families and staff are encouraged to go to the site and request the free at home tests EVEN IF they don’t currently need those tests. It may take a few weeks to receive the tests in the mail, but the more we have available throughout the community, the better for everyone. Additionally, the Federal Government announced a new requirement that all independent private insurers must reimburse the cost of eight (8) at-home COVID tests per insured, per month. Families are encouraged to contact their insurance provider for more info.
National, State, & Local Updates Late last night, the Governor's Office published updated COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools that includes updated recommendations for COVID-19 exposure in a K-12 setting, including some changes to quarantining and offered alternatives to individual contact tracing with what is known as “group” tracing. MPCSD will be digging into these new guidelines over the weekend and sharing any changes that parents need to know. For more information: Core CDPH School Documents (Both updated January 12, 2022) ● CDPH K-12 School Guidance ● CDPH K-12 Frequently Asked Questions New Resources to explain and support implementation of Group-Tracing ● CDPH K-12 Group Tracing Approach ● Contact Tracing Comparison Summary Chart ● Download Exposure Notification Letter Template – additional languages coming soon
National, State, & Local Updates
● San Mateo County remains in the CDC's red, or "high" tier, according to the CDC's
County Check tool.
● SMC continues to have extraordinarily high rates of vaccination. As of January 12,
91.9% of SMC residents 5 years and older had at least one dose of the vaccine;
95.1% of SMC residents 12 years and older were fully vaccinated. 44% of the
county’s 5-11 year-olds have both shots; 56% have at least one dose.
● Even with high vaccination rates in SMC, Omicron can infect those who are
vaccinated. The good news is that symptoms appear to be mild for most people.
Vaccination is still KEY to health and safety. Precautions MUST be followed to
decrease quarantining and isolation of staff. Staff in School = School OPEN.
National, State, & Local Updates This visual illustration of the Omicron surge tells the story in some ways better than words.
National, State, & Local Updates
● Dr. Cody, Health Director in Santa Clara County, yesterday described the serge of
positivity in our area as a 'dramatic and breathtaking explosion.’ While less
hospitalization is occurring as compared to Delta, the impacts on employers and
families to have so many individuals in quarantine is significant, and hospitals are
starting to feel the pinch of individuals headed their way.
● Also according to The Almanac, San Mateo County Health Chief Louise Rogers
said, “The load of positive cases is a challenge. ‘We are working through a difficult
period in every sector, resulting in strains on the systems we all rely on. This is the
highest number of cases we have ever experienced,’ she said. San Mateo County's
rate soared from an average of 79 new cases per day last week to 905 this week.
On some days, the county had between 1,000 and more than 1,500 positive cases,
she said.”
National, State, & Local Updates
● The most recent edition of the SMC Pandemic Recovery Framework is always available at the SMCOE
website. The current edition was edited yesterday January 12, 2021. They expect that a new edition is
already necessary due to changes in the last 24 hours. Be on the lookout for an updated PRF
tomorrow. NOTE: The PRF is a lagging document, especially during the current quickly changing
guidance. At times, directions from CDPH and SMC Health are implemented before they are
reflected in the PRF.
● Where are the changes in guidance headed? = Fading out modified quarantine and instead relying on
a TEST regimen to keep students in school.
● BOTTOM LINE: Everything is changing and changing fast. Patience and flexibility will win the day. This
is challenging, but #wegotthis
○ Release expectations of a perfect plan and always knowing;
○ Trust that MPCSD is doing the best they can to keep up and communicate;
○ When fear is plentiful and trust is in short supply, simply remember how well MPCSD has
navigated the pandemic to this point. We will continue to do so!MPCSD Planning Update
It’s a DIAL not a SWITCH The model can change as the conditions and directives change. It’s not static; it’s dynamic.
Tracking COVID Positivity in MPCSD
Since August 19, MPCSD has confirmed 162 positive
COVID cases of students or staff who have attended
school or work (not including cases that occurred
over break). Of those, 113 positive COVID cases are
just since we returned to school on January 4 and
only represent students or staff who have attended
school or work since Jan 4.
Since August 2020, MPCSD has been seeing
steady case rates of about 2.66 cases/week.
Just in the last 10 days we KNOW of 113 cases
that we are managing. This does not include the
roughly 135 cases reported over break that did
not involve any campus exposure.
Overall numbers of positive cases in MPCSD are available at www.mpcsd.org.MPCSD Planning Updates: Masking
● Prior to break, Superintendent Burmeister was prepared to recommend at tonight’s meeting
the removal of the outdoor mask mandate within MPCSD. However, in light of the recent surge
of cases, the COVID-19 Team and Superintendent Burmeister recommend keeping the
mandate in place and reconsidering when the Omicron surge subsides.
● Tonight, the Board is asked to consider whether to motion and approve a mask quality
mandate in light of research suggesting that one of the best protections against the current
surge is masks that provide proper FIT and FILTRATION.
The masks most highly recommended are: N95, KN95, KF94, and 3-ply surgical masks. These
masks are not always easy to find in kid sizes, so parents are encouraged to keep a stockpile
when found at a reasonable price. There are some cloth masks that provide extra filtration and
fit a child’s face well, but it is sometimes difficult to decipher. Right now, most families are
heading the call to increase mask quality. When the Board considers whether to increase it’s
mask quality mandates, it is important to consider both sides of the mandate argument…Pros and Cons of Mask Quality Mandate
PROS CONS
● Research suggests proper masking is ● Availability of some of these masks is
particularly helpful during Omicron. limited, thus requiring certain masks could
● Vaccination is no longer enough to keep you be problematic if they aren’t available.
safe from contracting COVID (FYI: but STILL ● Price gouging is occurring, making masking
keeps you from getting really sick, which is an equity issue for those that can’t afford.
its purpose), thus increasing protocols is ● A proper fitting cloth mask may be better
something we have control over. than a poor fitting, high filtration mask.
● If quality masks help ward off COVID, by ● Teachers and staff have enough to manage;
definition they helps keep staff in school and holding kids accountable to type of mask is
school open. just one more thing on the plate. It’s another
potential battleline during an already
contentious time.
● SMCOE has encouraged not to, rather to opt
to use their guidelines as recommendations.MPCSD Planning Updates: Masking
MPCSD Planning Updates: Sports & Act MPCSD recognizes the importance of extracurricular activities in the lives of students. MPCSD seeks to continue to allow after-school programming to the extent that we are able to limit spread. Last week, MPCSD requested of the City of Menlo Park and PTOs that basketball be paused for one week to help the District get an handle on the numbers of quarantined students and staff. This was done not as a protection from COVID, per se, but as an immediate response to the desire to keep schools open. MPCSD confirmed at least one case of COVID spread in basketball from the New Year’s weekend. Basketball presents interesting challenges to spread, even with current protocols in place. The City and fellow Districts agreed and the City decided to pause games for two weekends, due in part to the fact that this weekend is a 3-day weekend and is likely to impact athlete and coach availability. At this time, MPCSD is planning to allow basketball teams back to the gyms starting on Tuesday to practice for their games on January 28. We appreciate everyone’s understanding. As hard as missing a week of basketball may be, closing schools is way more impactful. All other programs continue and MPCSD hopes the pause is all that is necessary to manage the speed and scope of spread.
MPCSD Planning Updates: Quar & Isol On Jan 6 and again Jan 8, following changes made by the CDC, the CDPH changed its quarantining and isolation guidelines. CalOSHA (for employees) and San Mateo County followed suit. Those new guidelines were implemented by MPCSD beginning this past Monday and communicated to families on Sunday evening before return to school from the weekend. MPCSD has created a one-pager (one for students/families and one for staff) that describes the new quarantine and isolation guidance and timelines. In short, the new guidelines allow vaccinated individuals who are isolating/ quarantining due to a positive case to shorten their return to school or work from 7-10 days to 5 days following a NEGATIVE antigen test and with reducing or absent symptoms.
MPCSD Planning Updates: Test to Return
New quarantine and isolation guidance requires that individuals “test to return” if they want to return
to work or school sooner than the 10 days. MPCSD has a shared interest in having students test to
return if they are experiencing resolving or no symptoms. While we cannot provide antigen testing
for everyone due to cost and supply. MPCSD is making antigen test-to-return available daily in the
District Office from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. According to OSHA guidelines, staff MUST test with the district;
however, parents can choose to test at home or with MPCSD to return. A photo of the labeled test
must be provided to the nurse before return. Data from the first week of T2R:
# of Staff Tested # of Students Tested # Released to Return
Monday, Jan 10 7 2 1
Tuesday, Jan 11 3 10 9
Wednesday, Jan 12 9 6 10
Thursday, Jan 13 0 8 6MPCSD Planning Updates: Preschool Due to the age group served by area preschools, the County has not adopted new guidelines for preschools, thus MPCSD’s Early Learning Center is currently operating under a different, more restrictive quarantine and isolation protocol than the rest of the District. The ELC is confident it can operate safely were it to follow the District’s protocols; however, they need to await clearance from the County to do so.
MPCSD Planning Updates: Tracing & Comms MPCSD’s Contact Tracing prior to the Omicron surge was incredibly detailed and more than was required by the state or county. However, we had the staff and desire to want to provide this level of service. The Omicron surge made the level of contact tracing and notification impossible. MPCSD staff have worked tirelessly over the last nine days to get and stay caught up on contact tracing and revamping systems of notification to make it more efficient. MPCSD has hired temporary help to provide support and edited notification letters to become bulk communication for staff with a 24 hour cadence of 12 noon - 12 noon. IOW, cases that are confirmed after 12:00 noon will be included in the next day’s communication to staff. For the health and safety of anyone attending or working in a school, with the level of spread in SMC and throughout the nation, individuals should conduct themselves as though they have come into contact with COVID positive individuals daily. This means, continue to follow the safety protocols recommended to you by the County Health Department.
MPCSD Planning Updates: Pooled Testing Pooled testing remains an essential component of MPCSD’s management of the Pandemic. Currently 86% of students are registered for pooled testing. Superintendent Burmeister urges the remaining 14% to consider registration as it remains an essential tool to control spread. To register for Pooled Testing, please email info@mpcsd.org. While the current number of pooled tests coming back positive appears high, several of those pools are revealing individuals who contacted COVID who don’t even know it. Responding to a positive pool protocols have changed in MPCSD to reflect the changing virus dynamics. When a positive pool is tested with an antigen test and all members of the pool test negative, students and staff are sent back to their classrooms while they await the results of the individual PCR tests. Parents who want to pick up their child out of abundance of caution, are welcome to do so, but our experience indicates that is not necessary.
MPCSD Planning Updates: Vaccination
MPCSD & Safeway BOOSTER Event, Jan 20
MPCSD hosts a “BOOSTER” clinic for
children 12+ and adults with some
connection to MPCSD (staff, parent, etc.) at
the District Office next Thursday January
20, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Click
here to register or email info@mpcsd.org to
have the link emailed to you. THANK YOU
to everyone who is getting boosted and
thanks to those who have volunteered to
help others “take their shot!”MPCSD Planning Updates: Vaccination
Is your 5+ year old fully vaccinated?
Quarantine & Isolation Guidelines Require us to KNOW
Families of students 5 years and older who are FULLY vaccinated (defined as two weeks post
second Pfizer shot) are asked to submit digital proof of vaccination via email to vaccine@mpcsd.org.
Include student’s LAST NAME, FIRST NAME in subject line of email. Families are asked to email
vaccination confirmation so we can have an accurate count. And when we know your child is
vaccinated it eliminates the need to quarantine following a close contact exposure.
At this time, the state is not requiring proof of booster; however, parents of children over the age of
11 who have received the booster, can also send proof of booster shot to vaccine@mpcsd.org.MPCSD Planning Updates: Vaccination
● While the definition of “fully vaccinated” for the general public remains defined
as having received the initial two doses (or one of J&J), CalOSHA, which
oversees employer guidelines for the workplace now requires a booster shot
to be considered fully vaccinated for the workplace.
● MPCSD recently released a link for all MPCSD staff to submit proof of their
booster shot (or vaccine if a new employee or recently vaccinated). As of today
at noon, 36% of all staff had submitted proof of booster. We know many more
just haven’t had the chance to complete the form. The form can be found
HERE.MPCSD Planning Updates: Staffing
HEALTHY STAFF = OPEN SCHOOLS
The current surge requires us to pivot in different directions at times. While our previous
responses tended to be primarily focused on keeping COVID at bay, our current efforts
include trying to manage spread such that MPCSD can maintain necessary staffing to
run schools (basketball decision is perfect example).
One way we have pivoted is to recruit more subs and increase sub pay. MPCSD is happy
to report that since December, we have 32 new guest teachers either hired or in the
process; most of these are parents. THANK YOU to all those who have stepped up. If
you or someone you know might be interested in becoming a guest teacher or classified
staff, please contact hr@mpcsd.org.MPCSD Planning Updates: Positive? If a student tests positive, his/her/their parents are asked to follow these steps: Step 1: Begin home isolation and DO NOT send child to school. Isolation means separating the positive individual from the rest of the negative people in the household for the full 5 days. If space needs to be shared with others, everyone should wear a well-fitting mask and stay at least 6 feet away. Wash hands frequently and keep the area you are in well ventilated. Omicron is super contagious, even with vaccinated individuals. Step 2: Email info@mpcsd.org with student first and last name, date of positive test, date of symptoms (if any), school, grade, teacher and last date on campus. Step 3: You will receive a “return to school” plan for your child with the date they are eligible to return with a negative test; be sure to check email daily.
In collaboration with Stanford Research Institute (SRI), the First Church of Christ,
Scientist of Menlo Park, McCandless Properties, and the City of Menlo Park
Unfortunately, CURATIVE, our COVID PCRand
MPCSD testing
Curative continue to host
partner located across from M-A COVID
High is testing
experiencing
for the communities of
the same staffing outages that all employers are due to
the south peninsula
Omicron and the labor market.
Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Curative has not been able to reopen the site10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday,
Middlefield testing site since the start of the new
Free toyear.
the Patient
In our conversations with them, they are(Insurance
hoping or CARES Act funded)
reopen appointments starting after the 3-day
weekend, but they just don’t know. They201 willRavenswood
keep us Ave
posted. SRI parking lot across from
Menlo-Atherton HS adjacent to the
church. Enter on Middlefield Ave.
Register at curative.com
Other sites available in our community, too.In Closing...
The MPCSD community has proven it can keep schools open by putting
the health and safety of students and staff above politics. To keep our
schools open, we must follow simple guidelines:
Get vaccinated &/or “boosted” when it is your turn.
Wear a facemask inside when outside of your home.
Avoid unnecessary risk.
Test when necessary and available.
Stay home when you are sick.
We are all in this together. There’s only one way to do this; we are all part
of the solution.You can also read
