SAFELY ON CAMPUS GUIDELINES
Masks
In cooperation with the Governor’s orders issued on Monday, February 28, California Department of Public Health, and Ventura County Public Health, effective Monday, March 14, masks will not be required while indoors at school, but are strongly recommended.
An acceptable face covering is a clean, properly fitting face mask that covers the nose and mouth. We ask that face coverings do not include words or images which could be disruptive, scary, or controversial. Patterns are fine. If you need a mask while on campus, please come to the Main House Front Office or High School Office. Disposable masks are available.
Vaccines
Although a large majority of the Oak Grove staff and faculty are already fully vaccinated, we require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This update to our mitigation policy is in line with the community standard established by our peer schools, the recommendations of the CDC, and Ventura County Public Health.
We request parents share their high school students’ COVID-19 vaccine card if they are vaccinated. This information remains confidential. This reduces the burden on the school and allows us to implement a strategic response to potential transmissions and contact tracing should it be needed.
Daily Health Screening
Staff, students, and families self-monitor at home for signs and symptoms of illness. If signs or symptoms of any illness develop, all staff, students, and families follow the sick policy as outlined below.
Attendance
The attendance policy in all grades is designed to encourage students to stay home should they have any symptoms associated with illness.
Sick Policy
It is important to protect the school community from illness, and that means staying home when you have any signs or symptoms of illness. A wide range of symptoms is associated with many illnesses, including COVID-19. Symptoms include:
If you experience any of the following symptoms, stay home. You may return to campus once you have met the following criteria:
- At least 24 hours have passed since the resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications (e.g. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, etc); and
- Are symptom-free; and
- You have a negative antigen test or molecular test (PCR, LAMP, NAAT) for SARS-CoV-2, (submit your proof of negative covid test below), OR
- a healthcare provider has provided documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic condition (e.g. allergies or asthma), OR
- a healthcare provider has confirmed an alternative named diagnosis (e.g. Streptococcal pharyngitis, Coxsackie virus), OR
- at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset.
| Fever or chills | Cough |
| Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing | Fatigue |
| Muscle or body aches | Headache |
| New loss of taste or smell | Sore throat |
| Congestion or runny nose | Nausea or vomiting |
| Diarrhea |
Fresh Air
To ensure fresh airflow, all indoor classrooms and offices keep open doors and windows, even when HVAC is running. Air filters are cleaned and replaced frequently.
Travel for All Families and Staff
Fully vaccinated travelers do not need to self-quarantine following domestic or international travel but should take a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
Unvaccinated travelers (including children under 5) should take a viral COVID-19 test 3-5 days after travel. Even if you test negative, self-quarantine for a full 5 days after travel.
Mitigation for Students and Staff
Guidelines
In order to keep the teachers and students safe on campus, Oak Grove School follows the guidance of California Public Health Department, Community Care Licencing, Cal/OSHA, and Ventura County Public Health.
Monitoring
Teachers and staff monitor students throughout the day for any signs of illness, as outlined by the CDC and CDPH. Teachers send symptomatic individuals to the infirmaries available in Main House and High School. Parents/guardians are contacted immediately for an early pick-up.
Mitigation
Oak Grove’s staff uses N95 or surgical/procedure masks when caring for sick students or staff (community members). Students or staff with a temperature of 99.5 F or higher, a cough, or other COVID-19 symptoms, after isolating from the general cohort population, are sent home. COVID-19 testing is recommended.
Measures outlined on CDPH’s COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year will be followed when a student, teacher, or staff member has symptoms, is in contact with someone infected, or is diagnosed with COVID-19.
Reporting, Identification, and Tracing
Oak Grove has two designated VCPH Liaisons. If a community member is confirmed with a COVID-19 case infection, a School Liaison notifies VCPH, isolates the case, and excludes the person from school premises per the quarantine period outlined by VCPH. VCPH and School Liaisons, separately and/or in cooperation with County Health, identify contacts, recommend quarantine, and exclude exposed contacts (i.e the entire cohort) per VCPH’s guidance. VCPH and the School Liaisons recommend testing of contacts and prioritize symptomatic contacts (this will not shorten the required quarantine). The campus maintenance team disinfects and cleans the classroom and primary spaces where the case spent significant time (more than 15 minutes). School may remain open. Oak Grove staff will inform all community members who have been in contact with a confirmed case.
If a community member has symptoms associated with COVID-19 but receives a negative test result, they may return to the school campus once they meet the criteria for returning to campus outlined under the Sick Policy above.
Positive for COVID-19
For anyone testing positive, regardless of vaccination status:
- Stay home for at least five days.
- Isolation can end after five days if the person is symptom-free and is tested on campus on Day Five or later and the test is negative. Click here to make an on-campus test appointment.
- If unable to test or choosing not to test, and the person is symptom-free, isolation may end after Day Ten.
- If fever (99.5 or higher) is present, isolation should continue beyond Day Five.
- Wear a medical-grade mask outdoors (in addition to the indoor ongoing mandate) when the person cannot maintain six feet distance from others.
Known Exposure to Someone with COVID-19
Asymptomatic exposed students, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status or location of exposure, can continue to take part in all aspects of schooling, including sports and extracurricular activities, unless they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. It is strongly recommended that exposed students wear a well-fitting mask indoors around others for at least 10 days following the date of last exposure, if not already doing so.
- Test on campus over a 10 day period.
- Per CDPH masking guidance, it is strongly recommended that persons wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days, especially in indoor settings.
- If testing positive, follow the isolation recommendations below.
- If symptoms develop, test and stay home.
Quarantine requirements for EMPLOYEES who are exposed to COVID-19 per Cal/OSHA
Quarantine requirements for employees who are exposed to COVID-19
Any employees who are unvaccinated (including those previously infected within the last 90 days) or who have been vaccinated and are booster-eligible but have not yet received their booster dose must:
- Be excluded from the workplace for at least five days after their last close contact with a person who has COVID-19.
- Exposed employees must test on Day Five.
- Quarantine can end and exposed employees may return to the workplace after Day Five if symptoms are not present and a diagnostic specimen collected on Day Five or later tests negative.
- If an employee is unable or chooses not to test and does not have symptoms, quarantine can end, and the employee may return to the workplace after Day Ten.
- Employees must wear face coverings around others for a total of 10 days after exposure, especially in indoor settings.
- If an exposed employee tests positive for COVID-19, they must follow the isolation requirements above.
- If an exposed employee develops symptoms, they must be excluded from campus pending the results of a test.
However, employers are not required to exclude exposed employees who are asymptomatic if:
- A negative diagnostic test is obtained within 3-5 days after last exposure to a case,
- The employee wears a face-covering around others for a total of 10 days, and
- Employee continues to have no symptoms.
Employees who are exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if:
- The employees are boosted, or vaccinated, but not yet booster-eligible.
- Test on Day Five with a negative result. If the employee cannot be tested, as of January 14, 2022, the employee does not have to quarantine, but must wear a face covering and maintain six feet of distance from others for 14 days following the close contact.
- Wear face coverings around others for 10 days after exposure, especially in indoor settings.
- However, if the employee tests positive, they must follow the isolation recommendations above, and if the employee develops symptoms, they must be excluded pending the results of a test.
Disinfecting
Play equipment, classroom surfaces, and high touchpoints (doorknobs, light switches, etc.) are disinfected while students are not present.
Disinfectants are listed on the EPA list N for use against SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). Maintenance is currently using several products to meet the disinfecting needs of the campus. All disinfectants DO NOT contain phosphates or harsh chemicals; all disinfectants are eco-friendly, several are biodegradable, and one is botanically derived.
Testing
Testing is available for students and families each afternoon Monday through Friday by appointment only. Please contact jacquelinevalle@oakgroveschool.org to schedule an appointment.
Moving to Remote
Although our objective is to be on campus together, we will toggle onto remote learning when we are unable to provide a learning environment on campus that is safe for our students. Possible reasons to move to remote learning:
- Confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within the community
- A significant percentage of teachers absent
- A significant percentage of students absent
- Stay-at-Home orders issued by the government
