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Student, Community and Personnel Support » UPDATED 7.31.24 COVID-19 Protocols for Students and School Staff

UPDATED 7.31.24 COVID-19 Protocols for Students and School Staff

School Year 2024-25 

On July 11, 2024, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) provided the following guidance for schools, which encompasses COVID-19 as well as many other communicable diseases in school settings: Public Health Guidance for TK–12 Schools and Child Care Settings to Support Safe In-Person Services and Mitigate the Spread of Communicable Diseases, 2024-2025 School Year.

Since the original COVID-19 guidance issued four years ago, the foundational principle in state guidelines remains: safe, in-person learning is critical to student well-being and development. The current guidance for schools noted above, provides strategies for a general prevention framework to reduce the spread of infections, including but not limited to COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (SV), and norovirus.

In workplaces (including school districts), employers are subject to the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations. SJUSD is required to notify Riverside County's public health department about reportable communicable diseases as well as any suspected outbreaks in schools. For additional information on communicable diseases, reference CDPH Disease Information and Reports, Infectious Disease Investigations, and Tuberculosis Control pages.

When school offices are notified of a student or staff positive case for COVID-19, a report is made to SJUSD's Risk Manager or Safety Officer, who will notify a designated health staff member to support the individual with return to school/work instructions. The instructions are now all related to symptom resolution (rather than a standard set number of days), using the guidance from CDC's About Preventing Spread of Respiratory Viruses When You’re Sick).

All SJUSD school sites have OTC test kits for COVID-19 for use at home by student families and staff. Please contact your school's health office for test kits, or contact Dawn Lawrence, SJUSD's Safety Officer for questions about COVID-19 protocols or guidelines (951-929-7700 x4411).