The Iowa City Community School District is committed to student and staff health and safety and we are dedicated to helping control the spread of COVID-19 in our community. The following enhanced health and safety guidelines will be implemented to help protect students, staff, families, and our entire school community. This guidance supplements our District’s standard policies, procedures, practices, and school rules.  

We want to emphasize that COVID-19 remains prevalent and it is imperative that we continue to utilize precautionary measures to help control the spread. Our District will continue to monitor COVID-19 rates in our community and make adjustments as needed.

Layered prevention strategies, including washing hands, social distancing, and staying home when sick are paramount for all in the school community. The District’s policy, procedures, and these enhanced health and safety guidelines apply to all Iowa City Community School District schools and facilities, District activities, programs and events, BASP, mission and community partners, and community use of District facilities.

Vaccinations: Our District strongly encourages all individuals 6 months of age and older to get vaccinated (and boosted) if eligible. While a vaccine is not required to attend, visit, or work in a District school or building, this recommendation reflects the guidance of the CDC, IDPH, and JCPH.

Masks: The CDC recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors in public if you are in an area with high COVID-19 community transmission levels. Face coverings will be available for students, staff, and visitors in each building.

Isolation
Our District follows the CDC's COVID-19 isolation guidance. Day 0 is your first day of symptoms or a positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected.

Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must follow the below protocols: 

• Stay home for five days.
• If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after five days, you can return to school on day six; however, you will be required to wear a mask through day ten.
  • If mask-wearing is not an option, you will be required to isolate at home for the full 10-day period.
• If you have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves and you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• The same protocols apply for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals testing positive for COVID-19.
• Students and staff should follow our Stay-At-Home Guidelines when ill.

Exposure to COVID-19
Our District recommends following the CDC's COVID-19 exposure guidance. Our District will no longer require quarantine when an individual is exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual. As such, contact tracing will no longer be conducted within our schools when positive COVID-19 cases are identified, and based on JCPH recommendation, we will not send notification calls or emails to a school community when a positive COVID-19 case is identified.

If you have been exposed to a COVID-positive individual, the CDC recommends wearing a mask for 10 days. Day 0 is the day of your last exposure to someone with COVID-19. Day 1 is the first full day after your last exposure.  Continue to wear a mask for 10 full days and monitor for symptoms. The CDC recommends getting tested for COVID-19 on day 6 after your exposure.

Community Use of Buildings
Our District will allow community use of our facilities outside of the school day based on our facility use guidelines.

Children 6 months of age and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors in public if you are in an area with high COVID-19 community transmission levels.

School Day: 

• Students and staff are encouraged to stay home when sick or when COVID-19 symptoms.
• Buildings are open to visitors and volunteers during the school day.
• Students and staff are encouraged to take frequent hand washing breaks throughout the day.  Hand sanitizer will be available in school buildings.
• Building and classroom cleaning and disinfecting will take place as regularly scheduled.
• As ventilation systems meet CDC requirements, windows must remain closed as opening them negatively impacts ventilation and air circulation.
• It is recommended that individuals wear a face-covering while on the bus or utilizing other District-provided transportation.
• In-person staff meetings will be allowed.
• Field trips are allowed.
• Community use of District buildings and grounds is allowed outside of the school day based on our facility use guidelines.

Children 6 months of age and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends wearing a well-fitting mask indoors in public if you are in an area with high COVID-19 community transmission levels.

School Day: 

• Students and staff are encouraged to stay home when sick or when COVID-19 symptoms are present.
• Buildings are open to visitors and volunteers during the school day.
• Students and staff are encouraged to take frequent hand washing breaks throughout the day.  Hand sanitizer will be available in school buildings.
• Building and classroom cleaning and disinfecting will take place as regularly scheduled.
• As ventilation systems meet CDC requirements, windows must remain closed as opening them negatively impacts ventilation and air circulation.
• It is recommended that individuals wear a face-covering while on the bus or utilizing other District-provided transportation.
• In-person staff meetings will be allowed.
• Field trips and community experiences are allowed.

Secondary Events and Community Use of District Space:

• All school-sponsored events may be conducted as usual, both indoors and outdoors.
  
  • Athletics/activities will be conducted according to State association/IDPH guidelines.
  • Travel out of the district is allowed.
• Community use of District buildings and grounds is allowed outside of the school day based on our facility use guidelines.

School Sponsored experiences outside the school setting - In addition to the District’s guidance, students and staff must comply with local, state, and federal regulations in effect in the location the students and/or staff are traveling to outside District property. The District strongly encourages any program that is planning travel outside the District to obtain travel insurance as travel guidance could change based on JCPH, IDPH, CDC guidance, and/or County transmission rates. The District will not reimburse families for trips canceled due to changes in the District’s health and safety guidelines or changes made by other jurisdictions/organizations.