COVID-19 Toolkit Summary 2022-2023

This Toolkit outlines four levels of school communicable disease mitigation: Baseline, Prevention, Response, and Recovery. Baseline (green column) is the minimum level; these practices apply at all times. Each of the higher levels (yellow, red, and orange columns) are organized into sections aligned with the ODE’s required COVID-19 Management Plan; sections provide guidance for higher levels of key mitigation practices such as screening, isolation, and more. 

For those completing school Plans, OSNA offers an example School-Level COVID-19 Management Plan Template For School Year 2022-2023 complete with relevant tools and resources. (See ODE instructions.) This document offers similar information, but is formatted with levels side-by-side to compare the different strategies as risk of spread increases.


Baseline

Communicable Disease Baseline
(ODE’s School-Level COVID-19 Management Plan Table 1)

At all times, schools maintain Baseline measures to reduce communicable disease transmission.


School District Communicable Disease Management Plan

OAR 581-022-2220


Communicable disease prevention is of paramount importance to decrease school absenteeism, and to maintain the health of the school population.

Each school or district should maintain comprehensive written plans which include: Communicable Disease Prevention Plan, Pandemic/ Flu plan, Operational Plan/ Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (COVID-19 plan per ODE ESSER III), Exposure Control Plan per OR-OSHA.

OHA provides two types of guidance for the creation of communicable disease plans: OHA Communicable Disease Guidance for Schools and Novel Coronavirus Disease Interim Investigative Guidelines. The OHA guidance should not be used as a communicable disease plan because, though it articulates the rules, it does not indicate how the rules would be implemented in the individual school, district, or ESD setting. A communicable disease plan is required to show how the guidance will be operationalized in the school setting.

School District Communicable Disease Plan Examples:



Main Document:

Partner Documents include:

You may access an editable Communicable Disease Management Plan (2022) here and a COVID-19 Management Plan (2022) here.

ESD Communicable Disease Plan:

 

2021-2022 Multnomah Education Service District Comprehensive Communicable Disease Management Plan (08/16/2021 - Updated version coming soon)

You may download an editable copy here.  Appropriate attributions must be provided. Updated version coming soon.

Exclusion Measures

ODE COVID-19 Exclusion Summary Chart (Version 3/9/2022)

Isolation and Exclusion Guidelines for K-12 settings (ODE & OHA)(OHA 4022A (03/17/2022)

Exclusion letter (OHA) This letter is available through OHA in multiple languages

Symptom Surveillance Tool

Educator Vaccination

OAR 333-019-1030

Teachers and school staff, volunteers and contractors are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have provided documentation of a medical or religious exception to the school district before they are able to teach, work, learn, study, assist, observe, or volunteer at school.

Emergency Plan or Emergency Operations Plan

OAR 581-022-2225

Review your district’s school policy, typically found on Oregon School Boards Association www.policy.osba.org select a district; policies EBC/EBCA with keywords “emergency." It is possible not all Emergency Plan information will be public to protect the safety of staff and students. Please contact your local district with any specific questions.

Roles and Responsibilities Central to Communicable Disease Management

Building Lead/ Administrator; Key spokesperson for health related matters, responsible/ assists with exclusion of ill students.

School Safety Team Representative; (eg. Maintenance administrator, District Nurse) Trains staff at the start of the academic year and at periodic intervals on communicable disease management procedures. (Be aware of licensure and state requirements for health and medical training.)

Health Representative (school/district nurse, health aid, administrator, ESD support)

Communications Lead (staff member responsible for ensuring internal/external messaging is completed)

District Level Leadership Support (staff member in which to consult surrounding a communicable disease event)

Main Contact within Local Public Health Authority (LPHA) Notifies Building Lead/Administrator of communicable disease outbreak and offers recommendations for appropriate response.

School Support Staff as needed (transportation, food service, maintenance/custodial)

Additional Resources:

Clinical Procedures in Schools Special considerations while COVID-19 is circulating in the community |OHA (03/2022)

  • This guidance is intended for school staff, particularly school nurses, who support students with complex needs

Disease Mitigation in School Athletics: Considerations for School Nurses (07/2022).

  • This document offers general considerations to reduce and mitigate the spread of illness by establishing relationships and providing a coordinated approach to school health.

Mental Health

Classroom WISE: Mental Health Literacy Resources | ODE (06/2022)

Integrated Model of Mental Health | ODE

Mental Health Talking Points | ODE (02/2021)

These resources provide examples of how school nurses support mental health and student success. They may be of use for messaging among school teams.

Centering Equity

Health Equity Considerations and Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups | CDC (01/25/2022)

Equity Decision Tools for School Leaders | ODE

COVID-19 Recommendations | AAP (07/06/2022)

  • All school districts promote racial/ethnic and social justice by promoting the well-being of all children in any school COVID-19 plan, with a specific focus on ensuring equitable access to educational support for children living in under-resourced communities.

Individual School Planning for Students

Sample 504 plan/accommodations for long COVID - Coming Soon
IEP Considerations - Coming Soon
Long COVID Individualized Health Plan - Coming Soon
MIS-C - Coming Soon

Athletics and Other Activities

Disease Mitigation in School Athletics: Considerations for School Nurses (07/2022) - This document offers general considerations to reduce and mitigate the spread of illness by establishing collaborative relationships and providing a coordinated approach to school health.

Band - Coming Soon
Choir - Coming Soon

Clinical Procedures in Schools

Clinical Procedures in Schools: Special considerations while COVID-19 is circulating in the
community

Archived COVID-19 Tools

Archived COVID-19 Toolkit 2021-2022 - Please email Wendy Niskanen at wniskanen.osna@gmail.com for any archived tools from the COVID-19 Toolkit 2021-2022





BASELINE_HORIZONTAL.png

Key Practices

reinforced or added

Prevention Response Recovery
As risk increases beyond Baseline, Key Practices are reinforced or added.

Key Practices may differ based on the specific disease risk (measles versus Norovirus, etc.).

Key Practices specific to COVID-19 are listed in this column.
When specific disease risk is known, but local cases are low, Baseline measures remain in place, and Prevention is added. Schools increase planning and add mitigation practices specific to the disease. When community cases are high and/or a school outbreak is occurring, Baseline and Prevention measures remain in place. Schools enact multiple layers of mitigation practices specific to the disease. When community cases are declining and/or school outbreak is contained, Baseline and Prevention measures remain in place. Schools return to Response if risk increases, or to Baseline if risk declines fully.

COVID-19 Management Plan Template Sections

(Tables 5-7)

Prevention

 (Table 5)

Response- High Transmission 

(Table 6)

Recovery-Gradual Return to Baseline 

(Table 7)

Vaccination

OAR 333-019-1030

Vaccination remains the best protection against serious illness from COVID-19 and reduces spread of the disease. Students and staff should get vaccinated and boosted when they become eligible.

Vaccines for COVID-19 | CDC
Get Vaccinated Oregon
Accessibility Kit Resource


A District works in partnerships with healthcare providers to promote vaccines, access to vaccinations,  and the location of vaccine clinics throughout the district.

Utilize the following resources:

ODE COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccination Toolkit

NASN COVID-19 Vaccination Administration in Schools


During periods of high transmission, the district collaborates with the LPHA and OHA in the establishment of vaccine clinics at any school sites requested by the health authority or community partners.

During periods of medium transmission districts collaborate with the LPHA and OHA in the establishment of vaccine clinics at any school sites requested by the health authority or community partners.
*This collaboration decreases as case counts lower and increases as case counts rise.

Face Coverings

Masks can help protect you and others from COVID-19. Learn more about different types of masks and respirators and how to get the best fit.(CDC)

Use and Care of Masks | CDC

For face covering signage in multiple languages, scroll down to “Signage” on this OHA Page.

For printable posters including face covering guidance, visit this CDC page.


Universal masking is no longer required of vaccinated or unvaccinated students or adults, but highly recommended. 

 
At low community levels, wear a mask based on your personal preference or when required by district.

Face coverings are still required in health rooms and isolation rooms as required by OHA. 


Health Room Masks Required Poster

Health Care Setting Masking Requirements FAQ | OHA (07/06/2022)


CDC, OHA, and ODE recommend universal use of wearing a well-fitting mask/ face coverings indoors during periods of high transmission. Please include whether your school will implement this critical recommendation.

 If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection.


As case levels decrease from high, utilizing CDC, face coverings become optional. 

If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness talk to your healthcare provider about additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public

Isolation Space

OAR 581-022-2220

Oregon state law requires that each school district “shall maintain a prevention oriented health services program for all students which provides:

Health care and space that is appropriately supervised and adequately equipped for providing first aid, and isolates the sick or injured child from the student body.”(ODE)


Protocols are established in each building for a health room and an isolation room for illness, to separate people who have or may have a contagious disease from people who are not sick required by OAR 581-022-2220. 

Staff trained in isolation room protocols, quarantine protocols, and wearing of PPE.  Staff to support students on Individualized Health Management Plans and medical procedures. Offer access to COVID-19 testing.


2022 OSNA Example Modification to the Health Room

At high community transmission levels schools will:
  • Have designated trained staff that can support all student health and safety needs and are well informed of COVID-19 protocols.
  • Begin to prepare the additional spaces identified for isolation use during an active outbreak.
  • Have Screening protocols at time of arrival or during the school day per communicable disease protocol.
  • Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated, offered a test, and sent home

Investigation and control of disease. District policies and procedures incorporate a layered approach to identifying, monitoring, and mitigating outbreaks of communicable diseases including COVID-19 and works closely with LPHA


Symptom Screening, Surveillance and Monitoring


Monitoring and gathering data on which illnesses are present in a school aid in the mitigation of communicable disease.

CDC COVID-19 Symptoms Table

Symptom Surveillance Overview


Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet

Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form

A shared tracking tool, spreadsheet or Google form, that can be used in a variety of settings to monitor the types of symptoms seen on a daily basis in a school health or isolation room.

Active symptom screening takes place in the home as families determine whether or not to send students to school (Exclusion letter - This letter is available through OHA in multiple languages). School staff passively screen for symptoms through the school day. Schools do symptom surveillance when symptoms are reported (by families and school staff)

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems


Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet

Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form

Outbreak Cluster Line List

A line list provides an approach for school nurses to document the number of students and staff identified with illness symptoms. Allowing them to collaborate with the designated local health department and school building/system leadership.

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems


Symptom Surveillance Spreadsheet

Example Symptom Monitoring Google Form

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems

COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts;Verification of COVID-19 Cases

 

COVID-19 Testing

It is critical that K-12 schools implement safety measures to keep schools open and students and staff healthy and safe from COVID-19. One key measure is regular COVID-19 testing in schools.(CDC 3/22)

Oregon's COVID-19 Testing in K-12 schools : COVID-19 Response : State of Oregon | OHA

School Testing for COVID-19 | CDC

OHA offers both diagnostic and screening testing programs to all public and private K-12 schools in Oregon. Please include whether your school will offer diagnostic and screening testing, respectively.


OHA School Testing Table

At high levels of community transmission offer increased access to testing. Possible examples are:

  • Drive through clinics
  • Before/after school testing sites
  • Onsite collaboration
  • Community outreach
  • Offering the opportunity to opt-in to diagnostic testing or screening programs with appropriate consent
  • Increase access to utilize the enhanced exposure testing, offering COVID-19 tests to students or staff at increased risk of severe illness and/or medically fragile individuals.

Ensure access and equity in vaccination, testing, treatment, community outreach, support services for disproportionately affected populations

Airflow and Circulation

Ventilation is one component of mitigation strategies to prevent COVID-19 in the school setting.

Ventilation in Schools and ChildCare Programs | CDC

ESSER III: Improving Ventilation Brief






Standard operating procedures have been established directing the inspection, maintenance, and filtration requirements of HVAC equipment as well as directions to maximize the ventilation of buildings by increasing fresh air intake, purging the building before and after occupancy, etc. Building HVAC outside air dampers will be adjusted such that their minimum damper setting meets recommended outside air infiltration rates per ADSHRAE 62.11-2019 “Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.”

During high levels of community spread ensure all systems are working at full capacity. Plan outside school events such as lunches, classes, recess when it is safe.


Additional mitigation measures include the assessment of individual spaces to determine the need for portable HEPA filtration systems.

During moderate levels of community spread ensure all systems are working correctly. Monitor need for maintenance of systems.

Cohorting/Attendance


Cohorting and tracking of cohorts is a strong public health strategy to limit the spread of illness.

Examples:stable mealtime cohorts, classroom, table groups, and other group situations. Cohorts should be as small as feasible to minimize exposure.


Attendance and absenteeism:

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems.


A resource for if Cohorting is recommended/required or desired by your district: Coming Soon


Schools should notify their LPHA about unusual respiratory disease activity if the following absence thresholds are met and at least some students are known to have influenza or COVID-like symptoms with the investigative process:
  1. At the school level: ≥ 30% student/staff population absent d/t illness
  2. At the cohort level: ≥ 20% students/staff absent d/t illness

Class Cohort Tracking Log

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems


COVID-19 Tracking and Communications

Tracking COVID-19 in Oregon Schools

Modifying Student Information Systems for COVID-19 and Beyond

Tracking and reporting cases, immunizations, and absences can be done using student information systems

Contact Tracing

Contact tracing is not required for COVID-19 for the 2022-2023 school year, as there is no longer a requirement for exposed individuals to quarantine. Please see the section on cohorting instead, as notification to a cohort may be necessary in the case of an outbreak.

Each district and county has different capability and population desires for how to manage COVID-19. Resources for contact tracing in past school years are included in this section.

Contract tracing tools support the identification of which students, staff, or other individuals were in close contact with a COVID-19 positive individual. Accurate contact tracing data can potentially limit the scope of a quarantine, and reduce additional spread.

During periods of high transmission(response), if contact tracing is being practiced, these documents may help to guide more precise tracing, therefore eliminating unnecessary exclusions.

To report close contacts to your LPHA:
Cohort COVID Contact Information For LPHA

Classroom Contact Tracing Data Collection Form

During recovery; if conducting contact tracing, continue tracing per your local public health authority recommendations and regulations.


This may look like tracing students:

  • In stable settings
  • Unmasked settings
  • Where recommended distance is not kept
  • On busses

Physical Distancing

Layered mitigation efforts help to reduce the spread of illness. Physical distancing is one layer that can reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning | CDC (05/27/2022)

COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools | AAP (07/06/2022)

FAQ for K-12 | CDC (05/27/2022)

Use outdoor spaces and/or spread students out as feasible (if possible due to climate and available space).


How to Protect Yourself and Others | CDC

Keep on Keeping Your Distance (2020)

In the K-12 setting when masks are universally in place, close contact is 3 feet. When universal masking is not in place, close contact is 6 feet. Encourage physical distance of 3 or 6 feet (depending on your building's mask use).

Continue to encourage physical distancing of 3 or 6 feet- depending on your district’s mask policy. Continue to encourage the use of outdoor space, if feasible due to climate.

Hand Washing

Practicing hand hygiene correctly is a simple yet effective way to prevent disease transmission.

Hand hygiene, which means cleaning your hands by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol, is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and prevent spreading germs to others.

Handwashing in Communities: Clean Hands Save Lives | CDC

Health Promotion Materials | Handwashing | CDC

Implementation of routine hand washing, before/during/after preparing food, before/after eating, before/after caring for someone who is sick, before/after using the restroom or changing diapers, after blowing your nose/coughing/sneezing, PE, music, etc.

Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette | FAQs | Infection Control | Division of Oral Health | CDC

Across all district facilities and schools, access to hand washing stations augmented by the use of hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol will be always available.

Additional mitigation measures will be taken at higher risk activities such as breakfast/lunch, PE, and music.

Visual directions and posters are up across schools and district facilities about hand washing as well as cough etiquette.

When cases are moderate, schools are encouraged to assign times for increased and additional hand hygiene availability such as: sanitizing stations at arrival and throughout the school and/or in the classrooms, or encouraging extra times for students to wash hands with soap and water throughout the school day.

Cleaning and Disinfection


The virus that causes COVID-19 can land on surfaces. It’s possible for people to become infected if they touch those surfaces and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes. Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces can reduce the risk of infection.

Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility | CDC

Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning | CDC (05/27/2022)

Cleaning with products containing soap or detergent reduces germs on surfaces by removing contaminants and decreases risk of infection from surfaces. Disinfecting kills any remaining germs on surfaces, which further reduces any risk of spreading infection.

Example:
Daily cleaning of all touch points in classrooms, transportation, common areas, cafeterias with a general cleaner.
  • All restrooms disinfected daily

At high levels of community transmission have access to cleaning and disinfecting (for trained staff) products readily available. Clean routinely throughout the day and especially focusing on high frequency touch points. At times when a space has increased illness or outbreak, assign appropriate staff to disinfect those areas at a higher level. Have a district plan of how to communicate that to staff and families to reduce any risk of spreading infection.

At moderate levels of community transmission have access to cleaning readily available. Clean routinely throughout the day and especially focusing on high frequency touch points. At times when a space has increased illness, assign appropriate staff to disinfect those areas at a higher level. Have a district plan of how to communicate that to staff and families of cleaning practices to reduce any risk of spreading infection.

Training and Public Health Education


School-wide efforts , individual behaviors and education, including staff training, can reduce risk of disease transmission. (OHA/ODE)

Staff Training:

Considerations for Designing Staff Training

Communicable Disease Prevention in the School Setting Staff Training 22-23

COVID-19 Disease Update 22-23 Staff Training

Resources for Parents:

Parent Student Information Resources Links


Public Health training/education for staff, students, parents and your community creates confidence, eases anxieties and makes the duty of communicable disease prevention, identification and management a team effort, enhancing outcomes and reducing the risk of misunderstandings and conflicts.

Resources Coming Soon.


With the basics having been covered during times of lower transmission (Baseline), limit training and information communication to specific behaviors and actions that your target audience should be considering at this time.

Beware overwhelming your audience with 1) information that is contested without providing supporting evidence to gain or maintain trust and credibility, 2) unnecessary details that don’t directly support the main point and 3) language that is too complex, fear driven or not easily understood.

Resources Coming Soon


Staff training in moderate community transmission levels should reinforce the basics and expectations from staff, as well as prepare staff for potential high community transmission periods.

Student, parent and community communication may emphasize the school’s preparedness and layered prevention as well as what they can expect in the case of increased or decreased community transmission rates.

Resources Coming Soon

Communication Tools

“School and district leaders are encouraged to use these tools to communicate with staff, school boards, students, families, the media and their community about the 2021-22 school year. ”

Communications Toolkit | ODE
(last updated for 21-22 school year)

Oregon School Nurse Manual (section 2D) regarding sharing protected information during a public health emergency.


The tools are customizable, and intended to serve as a starting point for school leaders to modify as needed to communicate with their community.

COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts | OHA

During time of high disease transmission, this flow chart can help simplify communication between schools and community partners.

Communicable Disease Communication Protocol (08/2021)


Help Protect Yourself and Others | CDC (3/1/2022)

COVID-19 Case and Contact Reporting to Schools/School Districts;Verification of COVID-19 Cases