COVID-19 Update as of 12/03/20

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we begin to wind down the first half of our school year, we take time to thank our teachers, parents, students, and administrators for their flexibility, cooperation, and prayers as we have navigated our return to in-person learning. We know that this has not been easy for anyone, and we could not have
done it without everyone working together.

As we prepare for the holidays and with the release of newly update CDC guidelines for quarantine, we wanted to share our most up-to-date guidelines for exposure to and diagnosis of COVID-19. Please note, we are continually assessing our guidelines to ensure they are up-to-date and compliant with both CDC and MSDH guidelines. We wanted to highlight a few important points.

1. Travel: If a person or family travels internationally or on public transportation (i.e. airlines, buses, etc.) to an area deemed high or very high risk they should quarantine for ten days from the day they arrive home. They should be excluded from the school setting for the ten days. However, students who do not develop
symptoms and receive a negative, molecular (RT-PCR) test result after day seven may return to school. Please note, a negative rapid test result or positive antibody test result will not be accepted. Please visit the CDC Travel Recommendations by Destination webpage for the most up to date information
regarding high-risk destinations.

2. Quarantine Timelines: If a quarantine is required, the minimum time will be seven days. If after seven days, the individual receives a negative, molecular (RT-PCR) diagnostic test result, they will be allowed to return to school. If the individual is not tested, they may return after ten days, provided no symptoms
develop. Please note, negative rapid tests or positive antibody tests will not be accepted at this time.

3. Family Testing: If a member of a student or staff member’s immediate family is tested for COVID-19, the student or staff member should not return to the school setting until a negative result is reported OR a positive result is reported, and all guidelines for positive cases have been followed.

4. Exposure in the Household: If a live-in family member of a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 and are unable to isolate from other family members, please contact your principal to develop a plan of action regarding quarantine timelines.

Once again, we cannot thank you enough for your patience as we navigate these unusual times. As we have said before, we have duties as Catholic institutions to provide safe environments for all of our teachers, staff members, and students. The guidelines presented here are not only designed to provide individual protection, but they call for our entire community to work together to protect our most vulnerable community members. If all individuals take precautions, even those who are healthy and less susceptible, together, we will protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
Psalm 41:1 tells us, “Blessed is anyone who cares for the poor and the weak; in time of trouble, Yahweh rescues him.” As members of our faith community, we can make small sacrifices in our daily routine to protect others from the risk of this virus, just as Scripture calls us to do.

In Christ,
The Office of Education Staff