Dublin, California Schools Coronavirus Response

The Secure Schools for All Hub also provides updated safe reopening guidelines and includes additional tools for school-centered COVID-19 testing to be introduced. Dublin Unified School District administrators may also seek technical assistance from the State Safe Schools Team through an online web hub to create and execute security plans.

The website accompanies the $2 billion Safe Schools for All Initiative of the state, which Newsom outlined in December and said represents the best science available about safe in-person teaching. The proposal calls for the secure reopening of schools starting in February, with the priority of restoring the youngest children (TK-2nd grade) and those who are first affected most overwhelmingly, then returning other grade levels through the spring to in-person education.

The Healthy Schools for All Initiative of California will help schools to continue to work safely in person and use a science-based phased-in strategy to safely return younger students to in-person learning. It will do this through a combination of school workers funding, testing, PPE, safety guidelines, and vaccines.

Guidance was published by California to help K-12 education leaders address the needs of all students impacted by school closures, with a focus on supporting children with low incomes and those with disabilities.

Some health and safety guidelines for parents and children in school:

• Regular health checks must be done for anyone entering the school.
• They will be sent home if anyone experiences symptoms while at school.
• For all employees and students from 3rd grade and above, masks are required. It should allow younger students to wear masks.
• Members of staff must keep a distance of 6ft from each other and students. Students should keep a gap of 6ft as possible.
• If there is a verified case, a classroom goes home,
• If there are several positive cases in multiple classroom cohorts, a school should move to distance learning.
• A district can move to distance learning if 25% of the district’s schools are closed within 14 days.

Concerning the use of outdoor playgrounds, the State of California has revoked its health order. Outdoor playgrounds can be re-opened while indoor playgrounds and leisure sites remain closed, but visitors must comply with certain requirements:

To ensure face mask use, face masks worn over the mouth and nose are required for anyone two years of age or older, with caregiver supervision at all times.

When separate households are unable to maintain a physical distance of six feet or when the capacity limit has been reached, do not use the playground.

• In order to keep adults and children from separate households at least six feet apart, caregivers must track them.
• To prevent waiting times and potentially crowded areas, families should consider visiting playgrounds at various times or days.
• To ensure that face masks are worn at all times, no eating or drinking is permitted in the playground area.
• Prior to and after using the playground, wash or sanitize your face.
• Elderly people or those with underlying medical problems should, when others are around, avoid playgrounds.
• When others are present, limit your visit to 30 minutes a day.