COVID-19 Information and Resources

The Acalanes Union High School District is dedicated in providing a safe learning environment for all students and staff.  In an effort to provide the most up to date information to our community, this page will be updated frequently with health and safety information, local and state resources, and district communications.

COVID-19 Dashboard

The graphs below indicate individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have come onto our school campuses, as well as individuals who have been placed on quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure while on campus.  District staff intends to update the dashboard weekly, on Mondays and Thursdays  by 1:00 PM.  

2022-2023 Health and Safety Plan:

Acalanes Union High School District

COVID-19 Health and Safety

August 1, 2022 Update

The health and safety of our students and staff within a complete in-person school program remains a top priority for the District. The developing understanding of COVID-19 in the public health community and the many tools to combat the virus, most importantly the vaccination, along with the layered risk-reduction strategies enable us to enter this school year with high expectations for greater normalcy and optimism for a successful school year.

The District continues to follow the guidance and requirements issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) in their K-12 guidance for the 2022-2023 school year and will consult closely with the health officials at Contra Costa Health Services. The following AUHSD COVID-19 health and safety guidance will support safe, in-person learning and extracurricular programming in the AUHSD schools.

Face Coverings

Masks remain a highly effective tool to mitigate spread and to protect oneself. Just as we finished last school year, masks will remain strongly recommended by our public health officials while indoors. They are not required in the AUHSD school settings unless otherwise directed by school officials (i.e. symptoms). Schools will provide high-quality masks to any student, staff member, or visiting member of the public who requests a mask.

COVID-19 Testing

Testing for COVID-19 continues to be a key strategy to reduce transmission in school settings and antigen tests are encouraged by CDPH as the primary method of detection. The District is shifting to an at-home testing model. Over-the-counter (OTC) antigen testing kits will be provided to all students at walk-through registration on August 8. Students are encouraged to test prior to the first day of school.

Antigen testing kits are available to staff and students through the main office should symptoms develop or they experience a significant exposure.

Note: CDPH issued an extension to expiration dates of all FDA-approved OTC antigen test kits. Please refer to this document for more information.

AUHSD will be following the California Public Health Department Testing Framework for K-12 Schools.

COVID-19 Symptoms

Any student or staff member who develops new, unexplained COVID-19 symptoms should not return to campus until it is clear that symptoms are mild and improving or are due to a non-infectious cause (e.g., allergies). This includes waiting until 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. 

Should students or staff members experience unexplained COVID-19 symptoms, they should administer an at home COVID-19 antigen test and mask as a precaution.

Testing Positive for COVID-19 and Returning to School

Proper isolation following a COVID-19 positive test is critical for our public health and to reduce in-school transmission. We ask that families follow the recommendations listed on Table 1 of this CDPH guidance, including staying home for at least 5 days from symptom onset (or positive test if no symptoms) followed by a negative test and wearing a mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings. Parents should notify the school attendance office of the positive case so the school can monitor for outbreaks.

Staff members will follow the directions from the HR Department regarding their return to work per current OSHA regulations.

Exposure to COVID-19

Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should test for COVID-19 3-5 days after close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 positive individual. No quarantine is required due to close contact.

Vaccination

All staff and volunteers in the AUHSD must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Students are strongly encouraged to be up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccines. Unvaccinated students are encouraged to consult with their health care provider.

Classroom Ventilation

AUHSD classroom space has strong ventilation and air filtration systems that can reduce COVID-19 transmission. The HVAC systems will run while students are in classrooms, pull in outdoor air and circulate indoor air through high-quality filters. Should air quality (i.e., fire smoke) not allow us to pull from outdoor air, masking will be strongly encouraged while present in indoor spaces.

Case Incidence

We encourage parents to monitor the District dashboard for updates on COVID-19 incidence. Parents will not receive the COVID-19 exposure notifications this year.

Staff will be notified of new COVID-19 cases per OSHA workplace requirements.

Visitors on Campus

Visitors are allowed on campus during the school day in the main office and per scheduled meetings. Visitors are strongly encouraged to mask. Parents may request virtual meetings in lieu of in-person meetings. Visitors should not come to campus if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or having tested positive for COVID-19 within ten days.

Field Trips

Field trips, including overnight trips, are allowed. Trip proposals will require additional review prior to approval. Overnight trips (sports, performing arts and other enrichment) will be reviewed and additional COVID-19 precautions will be required, including contingency plans should there be a COVID-19 case during the trip among students, staff members or chaperones. Out-of-State trips and plane travel to destinations are discouraged.

Indoor/Outdoor Events

Large school events are allowed indoors and outdoors. As a precaution, some traditional indoor events (such as school rallies) may be held outdoors during higher periods of COVID-19 incidence. Indoor events for the public, such as music performances, might require audience masking should COVID-19 incidence be high.