- Lake Oswego School District
- LOSD Health and Safety Protocols
LOSD Health and Safety Protocols
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LOSD follows state and local guidance to ensure successful in-person school and protect the health and wellbeing of our community. Guidance is mandated by the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education, which directs local school districts to work in consultation with their local public health departments. When guidance changes, which it has over the course of the pandemic, LOSD updates protocols. These protocols are outlined in the information provided below.
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Community Transmission Metrics
ODE and OHA are using metrics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in determining the COVID-19 community level.
CDC looks at the combination of three metrics — new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days — to determine the COVID-19 community level.
Using this data, the COVID-19 community level is classified as low, medium, or high. Click here to follow the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker Weekly Review.
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Bus Transportation
LOSD is lifting face covering requirements in our school settings, including in school buildings and on school buses, effective Saturday, Mar. 12.
Masks will be optional in LOSD. That means our learning community will support those who opt to continue wearing face coverings, as well as those who choose not to wear face coverings.
Contact tracing and quarantining is on hold, and not required at this time.
Buses are cleaned and disinfected using commercial grade products such as Touch Point wipes, Avistat-D and Lemon Quat spray. All seats and high-touch surfaces are wiped thoroughly with these products after each trip.
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Cohorting
Cohorting refers to establishing a consistent group of students that stays together for a significant portion of the school day.
LOSD will continue cohorting to the extent possible to aid in the event of a COVID-19 exposure.
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Communicable Disease Management
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COVID-19 Testing
LOSD will continue to administer diagnostic testing at school sites for individuals who are presenting symptoms, available via LOSD Nurses. Contact your assigned nurse for a consultation based on symptoms and to confirm an appointment.
Separate from diagnostic testing, LOSD will continue to facilitate the voluntary weekly screening testing for students enrolled in the OHSU program. If symptomatic, a person should contact a nurse immediately and not wait for the Wednesday screening.
Weekly testing is required for unvaccinated staff.
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Distancing
Physical distancing is no longer required. It is recommended that people strive to maintain a distance of 3 feet to the extent possible.
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Environmental Cleaning & Disinfection
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Face Coverings
LOSD is lifting face covering requirements in our school settings, including indoor school buildings and buses, effective Saturday, March 12.
Masks will be optional in LOSD. That means our learning community will support those who opt to continue wearing face coverings, as well as those who choose not to wear face coverings.
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Hand Washing
Protocols and systems are implemented to ensure access to soap, water, and alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol available throughout LOSD school buildings. Schools will prioritize handwashing with soap and water after students or staff use the restroom and throughout the day, as appropriate.
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Meal/Snack Time
Meals will be eaten outside, weather permitting, as much as possible.
Sharing of food and drinks among students is prohibited.
Students are asked to wash their hands before eating and after eating.
Students needing/wanting distancing should work with their teacher.
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Isolation & Quarantine
LOSD is required to exclude anyone who is suspected of/testing positive for COVID-19. People may return to school after 5 days when they are fever free and symptoms are improving and manageable.
Quarantining is on hold and not required at this time. All people must watch for symptoms and get tested if they are presenting symptoms.
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Keep Students Out of School When Ill
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Vaccinations
LOSD hosted an Information Session with Boost Oregon to provide information about COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5-11. Please click here for the presentation from Ryan Hassan, M.D., a pediatrician working at Oregon Pediatrics in Happy Valley. He attended Paul L. Foster School of Medicine in El Paso, Texas, where he completed his medical and public health degrees in 2014. He completed his pediatric residency in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2017, and moved to Oregon. Dr. Hassan leads community workshops on vaccines for Boost Oregon, a parent-led organization that provides science-based vaccine education to all Oregonians, and he trains other health professionals on counseling vaccine-hesitant patients.
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Ventilation and Airflow
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Visitors & Volunteers
Volunteers and visitors entering schools during the school day must be fully vaccinated.
Unvaccinated volunteers and visitors are not permitted to enter school buildings during the school day, at this time. LOSD will continue to reassess this local decision; all Clackamas County schools are aligned on this decision.
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Wellness monitoring and response
Signs of illness screening for students:
Parents-guardians are asked to screen their student for signs of illness before the student is sent or brought to school. Additionally, the following screening is implemented:
- Visual screening of student signs of illness by bus driver
- Visual screening of student signs of illness by school staff as students enter the building
- Visual screening of student signs of illness by teachers or other school staff during attendance in the classroom
Any individual who feels that they are unwell, or if they have signs of illness, will be referred to the school office for a more in-depth screening. Thermometers are available for any individual who requests or requires a temperature screening
Individuals who have the primary symptoms of COVID-19, or any other communicable disease symptoms will be sent home.