Information for Families

DOH K-12 COVID-19 requirements and guidance (DOWNLOADABLE PDF)

COVID-19 Exposure & Notification

• The Sedro-Woolley School District will use a dashboard (updated weekly) to notify families and staff about positive case exposures in our facilities. There is no longer a separate notification process required for high-risk individuals.
• When other specific cohorts are identified; such as athletic teams, bus riders, or activity clubs; notification will be issued to that group.

*Exposed students and staff may continue to take part in all in-person instruction and care, including sports, performing arts, and other extracurricular activities, as long as they are not symptomatic. If an exposed student or staff develops symptoms, follow the symptoms and exposure flowchart. 

The Department of Health no longer requires exposed students or staff to quarantine. Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, who are potentially exposed to COVID-19 should: 

• Monitor for symptoms, AND 
• Test as soon as possible after exposure and then repeat testing every 24-48 hours through at least the first 5 days after exposure AND 
• Students and staff who spend time indoors with individuals at risk for getting very sick with COVID-19 should wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after exposure. 
• Household exposures often result in prolonged and repeated contact with positive individuals. When possible, a student or staff member, who is continuously exposed at home, regardless of vaccination status, is recommended to test every 24-48 hours until 5 days after the last positive household member’s isolation has ended.

Updated Flowchart: COVID-19 Symptom and Exposure Flowchart for Schools and Child Care

Isolation

Any student or staff who reports or has COVID-19-like symptoms is required to be immediately isolated from others and sent home, and referred to diagnostic testing as soon as possible, regardless of vaccination status. While waiting to leave the school, the individual with symptoms is required to be isolated and wear a well-fitting face mask. The school will provide masks for staff and students as needed. 

• Symptomatic individuals are required to stay home for 5 days UNLESS they have both a negative test and symptoms resolve with no fever for at least 24 hours.
• Individuals who choose not to test or those who test positive MUST stay home the full 5 days from either symptom onset or positive test date, whichever comes first. Day 0 is the day of symptom onset or test date. 
• When 5 days have passed, individuals can return as long as their fever has been resolved for at least 24 hours and symptoms are significantly improved. 
• Skagit County Health strongly recommends that individuals returning on day six wear a well-fitting mask through day 10 or that they have a negative test result if they choose not to mask on Day 6 through 10. Neither of these actions is REQUIRED. Both are practices that will reduce the risk of further transmission in the event that people are still shedding intact virus on day 6 or later. 
• IF a person tests on day 5 or 6 of isolation AND tests positive, they are REQUIRED to isolate for the full 10 days and not return until day 11. Again, a negative test OR masking upon return are strong recommendations but not required in the updated DOH guidance. Additional testing after a positive test on day 5 or 6 is not recommended and cases can return on day 11. 

Positive COVID Cases

An individual who tests positive for COVID-19 with a viral test (Molecular (PCR/NAAT) or antigen, including self-tests) is required to follow isolation guidelines outlined below.

• A student, child, or staff who tests positive for COVID-19 is required to isolate at home or where they are currently residing, regardless of vaccination status. The individual may return on day 6 after 5 full days of isolation if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms have improved and they have had no fever for the past 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms. For people without symptoms, day 0 is the day of the positive viral test. See Isolation and Quarantine Calculator.

Repeating initial tests does not change the isolation protocol; a positive test initiates the isolation protocol.

• Additionally, individuals who test positive using antigen or at-home tests towards the end of the full 5 days of isolation, and/or on days 6-10, are required to complete the 10 full days of isolation. Testing after day 10 is not recommended.

COVID-19 Testing

The district is required to make sure all staff and students have access to testing. For more details, email covidquestions@swsdonline.com or call (360) 855-3059.

COVID-19 Case Reporting

Families and staff should continue to report positive cases of COVID-19 to the district’s health services team at (360) 855-3059 or covidquestions@swsdonline.com or the Skagit County Public Health office at (360) 416-1500. 

Masking & Other Mitigations

• The district will continue to put in place the recommended mitigation to slow the spread of COVID-19: encouraging hand washing, cleaning high-touch surfaces, keeping two front and two rear windows on buses open a few inches, and providing good ventilation. 
• Face masks are optional. However, masks are required in health rooms and isolation rooms as these are considered health care settings. Students and staff may choose to wear a mask at school, with the expectation that others’ choices will be respected. Some may need to wear a mask because they or a member of their household are at high risk for severe COVID-19 disease.

Testing

The Sedro-Woolley School District Health Services team will continue to offer access to timely diagnostic testing for students and staff with symptoms of COVID-19. The testing will be free of charge.

Schedule an appointment and complete pre-test paperwork

Testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on regular school days. All appointments will need to be scheduled, as drop-ins cannot be accommodated at this time.

We will have a drive-up, outdoor option for convenient access outside the front doors of the Admin Annex (201 N. Township, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284). Once you have filled out the paperwork online and arrived, please do the following:

• Park in the designated COVID-19 testing space located at the front of the building.
• Call 360-855-3059 to let us know you have arrived and remain inside your vehicle.
• Results take approximately 15 minutes to process and we will use the phone number given on the form to report the results back to you, as well as answer any questions you may have.
• Health Services will then report all COVID-19 results – positive and negative – within 24 hours to the Health Department using the web-based reporting tool called US Digital Service’s SimpleReport.

Vaccination Requirements

All employees, volunteers and indoor contractors in educational settings are required to be fully vaccinated* or have a medical or religious exemption per Governor’s proclamation 21-14.3. Visitors are not required to be vaccinated. Visitors would be those picking up students from the office, or signing them in, or attending an extracurricular activity.

*Fully Vaccinated: An individual is fully vaccinated when they have received both doses in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine primary series or one dose of a single-dose COVID-19 primary series approved or authorized for use in the United States. Staying up to date with all recommended vaccinations and boosters is the best option to protect from severe disease and hospitalization.