October 29, 2021
Dear Students, Staff, Families and Community Members,
The Ashtabula County Health Department has now adopted the new Ohio Department of Health recommendations for quarantine and isolation. The label of this new program is “Mask to Stay/Test to Play.” (See link below)
This new program allows our students and staff to have the flexibility in mask wearing and reduces some of the mandates to quarantine students.
Students or staff who are exposed to someone who has Covid-19, regardless of vaccination or masking status, may remain in school if they do these things:
- Wear a mask for 14 days after their last date of exposure;
- Self-monitor, or parent monitor, for symptoms of Covid-19;
- Isolate and get tested if they start to experience symptoms associated with Covid-19 (regardless of level of severity); and
- After 5-7 days without symptoms and have a negative test, they may go back to a mask optional status.
What were considered exposure to Covid-19, will be the same rules as always. We will still have the same bus regulations as we have had all year. If someone refuses to mask after being exposed, they will be forced to quarantine until they return or produce a negative test; however, they will be considered unexcused for attendance. We are in hopes to have testing kits available.
In athletics, asymptomatic contact of student athletes may continue to participate if they do the following:
- Wear a mask when able; and
- Test between 5-7 days after exposure and if they are negative, then they will be released from quarantine status.
So, with this new relaxation of the quarantine regulations, starting Monday November 1, 2021, we will revert back to our “Mask are highly encouraged, but now optional.” The CDC still highly recommends masking and vaccinations.
I wish us all a healthy and educationally sound school experience heading into the holiday season. Have a great weekend and we will see everyone on Monday!
https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/static/responsible/schools/k-12-schools-quarantine-alternative.pdf
Dr. William R. Nye Jr.Superintendent, Grand Valley Local Schools
111 Grand Valley Ave. West Suite A
Orwell Ohio, 44076
william.nye@grandvalley.school
"Every Student Matters. Every Moment Counts. The Future Begins Now."