2021-22 COVID-19 & SCHOOL HEALTH FAQS
We're committed to nurturing a safe, healthy environment for our children and school community at P.S. 20. These are the latest, DOE-mandated guidelines in place at P.S. 20 around COVID-19 testing, vaccination requirements, and what happens when there’s a positive case in a classroom or within our community.
HELPFUL RESOURCE LINKS
ARE MASKS REQUIRED?
Yes. All students and staff must wear a face covering when riding on school buses and anywhere on school property, indoors and outdoors, regardless of vaccination status, unless they have a medical exemption. During lunchtime, masks may be removed so students can eat comfortably at a safe distance from one another. Masks may also be removed during designated “mask breaks,” during which students will maintain physical distance from each other.
HOW DOES SOCIAL DISTANCING WORK IN THE CLASSROOM?
P.S. 20 will maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms to reduce transmission risk, per CDC guidelines. Additionally, wherever possible, elementary schools will keep groups of students consistently together or have teachers move between classes in order to minimize movement of students. It is important to note that the CDC emphasizes that schools should not exclude students from in-person learning to keep a minimum distance requirement.
HOW OFTEN ARE STUDENTS TESTED FOR COVID-19?
Starting January 3, 2022, the DOE is expanding the in-school surveillance testing program to double the number of individuals tested in each school, including both vaccinated and unvaccinated students, in grades 1 and up. (Pre-K and Kindergarten are excluded). The random in-school surveillance program continues to provide public health experts with an accurate look at the prevalence of COVID-19 in schools.
It is important that you provide consent for your child to participate in the in-school testing program. You can fill out the testing consent form in your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA). If you already have a NYCSA account linked to your student(s): Log in, click your student’s name, click “Manage Account,” and then when a dropdown menu appears, click “Consent Forms.” Read the page, and then choose the consent option at the end for your student.
If you do not already have a NYCSA account: You can create one right away! If you have an account creation code from your school, you can create a full account in approximately five minutes, and then provide consent as described above. If you do not have an account creation code from your school, you can still provide your consent right away by clicking “Manage Consent” under “COVID-19 Testing” and filling out your and your child’s information to provide consent.
Are vaccinations required for teachers, school staff, and parent volunteers?
Yes. Per NYCDOE regulations, all DOE employees, including school-based staff, will be required to be vaccinated. DOE employees will be required to provide proof that they have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccination by September 27, 2021. Additionally, in accordance with these guidelines, any parent volunteers working inside the P.S. 20 building must be fully vaccinated.
Are vaccinations required for students in school programs?
While children are not required to get vaccinated in order to attend school, as of December 14, 2021, any children 5 and older participating in “high-risk” extracurricular activities (sports or activities that involve increased exhalation, such as singing, band, chorus, musical theatre, dance, marching band, cheerleading, etc.) must be vaccinated (at least one dose) in order to participate.
Families are encouraged to record their student’s vaccination status in the DOE's COVID-19 Vaccination Portal. Submitting this information will support New York City’s pandemic response and recovery efforts, and help ensure that DOE schools and buildings remain safe places for all students and staff. Students and their families can access the Vaccine Portal with the student's DOE account login credentials (email and password). Visit the DOE Student Account page for help setting up or accessing your child’s account.
The Vaccine Portal will ask you to identify the type of vaccine, where you received it (in or out of New York City) and when you received the vaccine, and will prompt you to upload the image or screenshot of the proof of vaccine.
· Proof of vaccination can be an image of a vaccination card, NYS Excelsior Pass, or other government record.
· Take the image or screenshot and save it to your computer for uploading into the portal.
· The portal can be translated using Google Translate.
HOME TEST KITS
Beginning January 3, 2022, schools will distribute free, take-home COVID-19 rapid test kits to any students or staff who exhibit COVID-like symptoms or have been in a classroom where a positive case has been identified. Students who have a take-home test kit will need to take the test two times over the course of five days (each kit includes two tests). Students who may have been exposed to COVID in the school should take a test that evening (Day 0) and then again on Day 5. If a student begins to show symptoms of COVID before Day 5, you should use the test kit immediately.
Anyone who tests positive on a take-home test should immediately report it to the school and begin isolating, according to the quarantine guidelines for their specific grade level.
What happens when there’s a positive case?
While PS 20’s school staff and administration are doing everything possible to create a safe learning environment for students, we know that positive cases can still happen, and there may be times when students and staff are asked to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19. As of January 3, 2022, the DOE has updated its policies to ensure students safely remain in school as much as possible. Now, if there is a positive case in a classroom:
K-12 students who were in close proximity to a student who tested positive will no longer have to quarantine and will continue attending school if they do not have symptoms and do not have a positive test result from a COVID test. Instead, all students and adults in that classroom will receive a take-home rapid test kit. The test kits contain two tests. Those who have a take-home test kit will need to take two tests over the course of five days.
For students in 3-K and Pre-K, the quarantine policy will remain the same, meaning that any 3-K or pre-K student who was in close proximity to a positive case will still have to quarantine.
What are the quarantine guidelines for students who test posItive?
Starting Monday, January 31, New York City is shortening the required isolation periods for students who test positive for the coronavirus.
K-12: Students in grades K-12 who test positive may return on Day 6 (after 5 days of isolation), as long as they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, their symptoms are improving, and they wear a well-fitting mask. A negative test is not required to return.
3K & Pre-K: Preschoolers who test positive must still stay home for a full 10 days. But Pre-K students who are exposed in their classroom will be allowed to return to school after five days instead of 10. To return, they must not have symptoms and must either test negative on a PCR test on the fifth day of their isolation or on two at-home rapid tests taken on day four and five of their quarantine.
Who is considered a “close contact”?
A close contact is considered by DOE to be:
Any student within three feet of a student with COVID-19 in the classroom regardless of wearing a face covering.
Any student who was within six feet of student with COVID-19 when either student was unmasked,
Any student or adult who was within six feet of an adult with COVID-19 for more than ten minutes regardless of wearing a face covering.
What should I do if my child tests positive for COVID-19?
If your child tests positive, please email Karen Colon at kcolon3@schools.nyc.gov as soon as possible. If you’re comfortable sharing the news more broadly, we encourage you to let fellow parents within your child’s class know, as well as any close contacts your child may have had. This will help close contacts within our school community make informed decisions about getting themselves tested or adjusting their plans to gather with others, accordingly. As soon as P.S. 20 administration learns about a potential positive case, it works closely with the New York Test & Trace Corps to confirm the case and identify any close contacts. We understand that families may want information more quickly, but unfortunately the school administration has to do this in coordination with DOE and the Test & Trace Corps to ensure accurate information and guidance is shared with impacted families.
What should I do if a close contact of my child (a family member, friend, etc) tests positive for COVID-19?
If your child has been exposed to someone with COVID-19, please email Karen Colon at kcolon3@schools.nyc.gov as soon as possible. She will work with the administration to make a recommendation on whether your child should get tested for COVID-19 before returning to class.
Is COVID-19 testing required in order to return to school after taking a trip?
While COVID-19 testing is not required for families to enter school, testing is a critical component of preserving community health and low transmission rates. Thus, PS 20 strongly encourages all families and students to get tested prior to entering school. You can call your pediatrician or primary care doctor to see if they offer testing in their office, and FREE testing is available for all New Yorkers at hundreds of locations throughout the city. If you have recently traveled outside of the U.S., we strongly encourage you to follow the CDC guidelines regarding testing and quarantining before returning to school.
FLU: In addition to COVID-19 testing, students and families are also strongly encouraged to get a flu shot because flu season begins in fall and many of the symptoms of COVID-19 and flu overlap. Call your pediatrician or primary care doctor for more information. Low cost options are also available through Health and Hospitals by calling (1-844-NYC-4NYC).
How can parents be helpful right now?
Join the PTA! Our PS 20 school community is working incredibly hard to create a safe, joyful, and rewarding learning environment for our kids, and there are many areas where parent volunteers will be helpful. If you’re interested in volunteer opportunities, email us at volunteers@ps20.org.
If possible for your family, consider donating to the PTA. In a school year unlike any other, the PTA is committed to help make it as successful and safe as we can—with funds going towards outdoor learning opportunities, teacher aides, school supplies, and more.
Finally, we’d ask for your continued support and patience as our school navigates yet another pandemic school year. Supporting each other will be crucial as we move forward as a community. We can do this, together!