Update Regarding Large Gatherings: Open House, Promotion Ceremonies, Events, On Campus Volunteers and Field Trip Chaperones

As we prepare for the closure of the 2021-22 school year, we know that families may have questions about guidelines for open house, promotion ceremonies, end of school year field trips and events, and other occasions when families may be gathering and/or on campus or with students. Please take a few minutes to read the following information closely. Doing so will help you understand the actions being taken in Robla School District to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some of this information you may have read before, however, there are some new updates available toward the end, please read it through.

Background: Due to the change in mask mandate to “strongly recommended” and other COVID-19 requirements, we are providing the following guidance on how school sites should handle large gatherings with students and families.

There are still many variables to consider and our community’s safety is our primary focus while they enjoy events at the campuses. Therefore, the following precautions should be taken for large gatherings. We will remain in communication with health authorities so that we are able to make adjustments should circumstances change:

A. Sites are encouraged to hold events outdoors when possible and weather permitting.
For events held outdoors, masks are strongly recommended but not required. Sites need to make masks available for attendees; however, staff may not require any attendees to take or wear a mask.

B. For indoor student assemblies:

1. Masks are required for students and staff; provide masks if necessary.
2. No all-school assemblies. At minimum, divide your assembly into two sessions and have half your school attend a separate session.
3. Seat your students in their classroom groups and keep spacing between groups as much as possible.

C. For indoor student plays/performances:

1. Performing students do not need to wear a mask while performing
2. Audience members (parents, staff, students/other children) must wear a mask and the site needs to make masks available to audience members. There is no need to “police” audience members to wear the mask once they are in for the performance.
3. Sites are to advertise the event with “Masks required for all attendees while indoors” language and post signs at the entrances on the day of the event.
4. The Principal needs to contact Nichol Sullivan two weeks prior to the event date to verify the event can still take place. She will discuss the current state of the pandemic with the School Nurse and the Superintendent. If this team determines that holding the event holds too much risk, the event will have to be canceled or rescheduled.

*NEW UPDATE*

D. Open House: 

1. Masking is strongly recommended when attendees visit the classrooms or other indoor areas of the campus. Sites need to make masks available to attendees; however, staff may not require attendees to take or wear a mask.
2. If the site intends to have information booths or a PTC table for example, those activities should be held outdoors and spaced apart to allow large groups of people to socially distance themselves when visiting the tables/booths. Social distancing does not need to be monitored by staff; we simply need to provide the space to allow for social distancing to occur.

*NEW UPDATE*
E. Promotion Ceremonies: 

1. Sites are strongly encouraged to hold all promotion ceremonies outdoors.
2. If held outdoors, masks are strongly recommended but not required. Sites need to make masks available for attendees; however, staff may not require any attendees to take or wear a mask.
3. If the ceremony must be held indoors, follow the same procedures as above in “C. For indoor plays/performances”.

*NEW UPDATE**

F. Field Trip Chaperones and Students:

1. Parents/Guardians need to provide proof of vaccination to the school office prior to the field trip or show proof of a negative covid test from the past 72 hours. If the parent/guardian has no proof of vaccination or negative test, he/she must take a rapid test with the school office staff and demonstrate a negative result immediately prior to the field trip. Rapid tests will be provided by the school site.
2. While on the school bus and in indoor settings on the field trip, chaperones and students are strongly recommended to wear a mask. If the venue requires a mask, then one must be worn.

Sites need to make masks available to chaperones and students.

*NEW UPDATE*
G. Parent/Guardian Volunteers On Campus 

1. Volunteers are allowed on campus by special invitation or on a pre-arranged schedule in order to limit the number of people on campus at any given time. All volunteers must check in with the school office prior to participating in the pre-arranged activity. At that time, they will need to
provide proof of vaccination, show proof of a negative covid test from the past 72 hours, or take a rapid test with school office staff. Masking indoors is strongly recommended and sites will provide masks as needed.
2. Capacity will be limited to no more than one volunteer per indoor space at any given time.
3. Unscheduled volunteers or “pops-in”parent visits are discouraged but allowable at the discretion of the school principal. The volunteer/parent will need to provide proof of vaccination, show proof of a negative covid test from the past 72 hours, or take a rapid test with school office staff. Masking indoors is strongly recommended and sites will provide masks as needed.