Update on COVID-19 Guidance for MCSD Schools (Effective August 15, 2022)
Students with possible positive tests or exposures
Close contact guidance for students:
Close contacts that occur in classrooms, classroom-like settings, and other situations essential for instruction of K-12 students that allow for universal masking may remain at school during their quarantine and monitor health for symptoms of COVID-19 during the 10 days following the last time they were in close contact with a person with COVID-19. All identified cases and close contacts will be reported to the Department of Public Health. Affected students, staff, and teachers will be notified of direct contact, as is the school districts’ current policy.
Close contacts occurring in the following settings will still require quarantine from all school settings, including in-person attendance in the classroom:
- School activities where masking is either not feasible or is not effective at preventing transmission of COVID-19 such as lunch, band, choir, PE, and sports.
- Household and household-like exposure
- Exposure during out-of-school activities
Under these circumstances students should follow CDC and DPH recommendations and should get tested for COVID-19 at least once during their quarantine period, which is the following:
- If you do not develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- If you test negative (after 5 days), you can leave your home, but continue to wear a well-fitting mask when around others at home and in public until 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19.
- If you test positive, you should isolate for at least 5 days from the date of your positive test (if you do not have symptoms). If you do develop COVID-19 symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days from the date your symptoms began (the date the symptoms started is day 0). Contact school administration.
- If you are unable to get a test 5 days after last close contact with someone with COVID-19, you can leave your home after day 5 if you have been without COVID-19 symptoms throughout the 5-day period. Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after your date of last close contact when around others at home and in public.
Students who test positive:
Students may return to school when the following criteria are met: at least 24 hours have passed since recovery (recovery is defined as no fever without use of fever-reducing medications and an improvement in symptoms), AND it has been at least five days since your child’s symptoms first appeared. If a student is asymptomatic and tested positive, student may return when five days have passed since the positive test.
District COVID-19 active school-based cases
Week ending 3/4/22
05045
| Category Description | # |
| Total enrolled students |
30,822 |
| In-person student positive cases |
2 *(.006%) |
|
Students quarantined/isolated and/or direct contacts (as of 10/27/21 updated guidance and cumulative of last 14 days) |
2 |
| Total employees |
5,175 |
| Total school-based employees |
3,605 |
| School-based employee positive cases |
1 |
| School-based employee self-quarantine or isolation cases (cumulative of last 14 days) |
1 |
* Percent of total student population
** Percent of total school-based employees
***Totals within each data set reflect active cases reported to the District within the specified week of each report with the exception of self-quarantine or isolated; with the weekly District report due to the quarantine or isolation period endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
All HVAC equipment is engineered and monitored to follow the standards set forth by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE):
- MERV 9 air filters with antimicrobial technology are used and changed every eight weeks.
- The air in a room is replaced five to six times per hour.
Safety expectations
Students and employees who test positive:
Students/employees may return to school/work when the following criteria are met: at least 24 hours have passed since recovery (recovery is defined as no fever without use of fever-reducing medications and an improvement in symptoms), AND it has been at least five days since symptoms first appeared3.
Students who are exposed to COVID-19 per CDC should do the following:
- Quarantine for at least 5 days if they are exposed to COVID-19 and are NOT up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations
- Stay home
Stay home and quarantine for at least 5 full days. - Wear a well-fitting mask if you must be around others in your home.
- Get tested
Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. - After quarantine
- Watch for symptoms . Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
If you develop symptoms:
- Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others.
- Take precautions until day 10
- Wear a well-fitting mask
Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a well-fitting mask.
IF YOU:
Were exposed to COVID-19 and are up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations
- No quarantine
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms. - Get tested
Even if you don’t develop symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. - Watch for symptoms
Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. - If you develop symptoms:
- Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others.
- Take precautions until day 10
- Wear a well-fitting mask
Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a well-fitting mas
IF YOU:
Were exposed to COVID-19 and had confirmed COVID-19 within the past 90 days (you tested positive using a viral test)
- No quarantine:
You do not need to stay home unless you develop symptoms. - Watch for symptoms
Watch for symptoms until 10 days after you last had close contact with someone with COVID-19. - If you develop symptoms
Isolate immediately and get tested. Continue to stay home until you know the results. Wear a well-fitting mask around others. - Take precautions until day 10
- Wear a well-fitting mask
Wear a well-fitting mask for 10 full days any time you are around others inside your home or in public. Do not go to places where you are unable to wear a well-fitting mask.
Calculating Isolation:
Day 0 is your first day of symptoms or a positive viral test. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected. If you have COVID-19 or have symptoms, isolate for at least 5 days.
School schedules
- Elementary: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Middle: 8:50 a.m. – 3:50 p.m.
- High: 8:10 a.m. – 3:25 p.m.
Further details are included in the links below:
Student mental health resources
Students can now access pre-recorded videos related to various mental health topics. Each month, the Pastoral Institute will provide grade-level appropriate content focused on subjects such as resiliency, suicide and self-harm prevention, dealing with grief, depression, and self-care.
December topic: grief
Click here to access the video for students in Grades K-5
Click here to access the video for students in Grades 6-12
November topic: anxiety
Click here to access the video for students in Grades K-5
Click here to access the video for students in Grades 6-12
October topic: suicide awareness
Click here to access the video for students in Grades K-5
Click here to access the video for students in Grades 6-12
*All sessions are free and have been made possible by the Coronavirus Response Fund—a partnership between the United Way of the Chattahoochee Valley and the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley.
Students with disabilities
- View our PES fact sheet
State and National Resources
- Click here for the Georgia Department of Education’s guidance on restart and implementation of IDEA
- Click here for detailed information for families and parents of students with disabilities
- Click here for information on IDEA timelines
- Click here for the U.S. Department of Education’s guidance
Technology support plan
PreK-12 students will be assigned Chromebooks/Chrome tablets in preparation for instruction use in the 2021-2022 school year.
Parent Tech Academy
Visit our resources page HERE to view additional information.
Technology support help line: 706-748-2271
CDC travel advisories and resources
Our community is resilient–we will persevere, and together, we will meet the challenges that attempt to dampen our outlook.
Source:
1. The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is working closely with the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Department of Public Health (GaDPH), and other agencies to ensure local school districts, parents, and students have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding COVID-19.
2. There are several types of the common human coronavirus that are similar to the human cold, which many of us get infected with at some point in our lives. However, this should not be confused with coronavirus disease 2019.
3. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.
4. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Georgia Department of Public Health are constantly updating their interim guidelines, recommended actions, and important information related to COVID-19 to minimize the spread of illness. The District will follow the recommended preventative actions as advised.
5. The Georgia Department of Public Health advises that you call their new hotline for COVID-19 if you believe that you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the novel coronavirus. You should contact your primary care doctor, an urgent care clinic, or your local federally qualified healthcare center. Please do not show up unannounced at an emergency room or health care facility.
Hotline: 1-844- 442-2681
Wash your hands often
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick, even inside your home. If possible, maintain 6 feet between the person who is sick and other household members.
- Put distance between yourself and other people outside of your home.
- Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread virus.
- Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people.
- Do not gather in groups.
- Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings.
- Keeping distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
- You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick.
- Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.
Cover coughs and sneezes
- If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
- Throw used tissues in the trash.
- Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean and disinfect
- Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
- If surfaces are dirty, clean them. Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.
- Then, use a household disinfectant. Most common EPA-registered household disinfectants will work.
SSER Funding (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) Funds
In response to the economic outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Congress passed three bills that provided immediate and direct economic assistance to state and local educational agencies through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. These funds were provided to support areas with the greatest need, where the academic and non-academic components of school districts had the greatest impact due to COVID-19. As additional funding was provided, the intent of the funds was to support state and local school districts’ efforts to safely reopen schools, address significant gaps in learning, and support measures of implementation that will continue to reduce the effects of COVID-19 on students and families.
Muscogee County School District has received the following ESSER funds:
|
Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act |
Coronavirus Response & Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act |
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act |
|
ESSER I |
ESSER II |
ESSER III |
|
Muscogee County: $10,143,043 |
Muscogee County: $42,325,541 |
Muscogee County: $95,131,762 |
|
End date: 09/30/2022 |
End date: 09/30/2023 |
End date: 09/30/2024 |
For more information on Georgia’s plan for ESSER Funding Click here https://www.georgiainsights.com/cares-act.html
CRSSA Act
The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation (CRRSA) Act signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 27, 2020, provides an additional $54.3 billion for an ESSER II fund. Following the same distribution as the CARES Act, which is based on the share of ESEA Title I, Part A funds follow the same use for coronavirus-response activities. Planning for and coordinating activities that address learning loss, preparing schools for reopening, testing, repairing, upgrading projects to improve air quality in school buildings, and additional activities authorized by federal elementary and secondary education laws are continually permitted.
ARP Act
The American Rescue Plan (ARP)Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, to speed up the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession. ARP ESSER funds will allow SEAs to take additional steps to safely reopen schools for in-person instruction and keep them open, and to address the disruptions to teaching and learning resulting from the pandemic. This includes using funds to enact appropriate measures to help schools to invest in mitigation strategies consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools to the greatest extent practicable; address the many impacts of COVID-19 on students, including from interrupted instruction; implement strategies to meet students’ social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs; offer crucial summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs; support early childhood education; invest in staff capacity; and avoid devastating layoffs at this critical moment, ensuring that all students have access to teachers, counselors, and other school personnel to support their needs.
Muscogee County School District’s ARP ESSER Plan
Muscogee County School District’s (MCSD) plan for the use of federal stimulus funds under the American Rescue Plan (ARP – ESSER) was approved by the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE). In the MCSD, ARP funds will be used to address lost learning opportunities, remove barriers to learning, and personalize supports for students, schools, and educators as a result of the effects of COVID-19.
MCSD ESSER Plan Summary
In the application to the GaDOE, MCSD determined the three highest priorities for district use of ESSER funds based on data from school Certified Needs Assessments (CNAs) and stakeholder feedback: to re-establish in-person climate; to improve personalized learning; and to re-establish and increase family/employee engagement. Strengths noted were digital learning; the Learning Management System (LMS); and adaptability. Identified challenges were re-acclimating students and adults and re-socializing students. To identify ongoing needs and to assess the effectiveness of the plan, data will be analyzed from school CNAs, STAR Early Literacy, Reading and Math, Achieve 3000, Lexia, IXL Math, Quarterly Benchmark Assessments (QBAs), BESS Universal Screener (behavioral screener) data, Summer Learning Experience (SLE) surveys, and Work Sampling Online (WSO) for pre-K.
How Do ESSER Funds Impact
MCSD Schools, Students and Employees?
To view the Muscogee County ESSER application and plan submitted to the GaDOE, please CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE to view how CARES Funds have been spent.
CLICK HERE to view how CRSSA Funds have been spent.
CLICK HERE to view how ARP Funds are being spent.
Meetings and Updates
The MCSD Board of Education was provided the information at the August 2021 meeting. To view the PowerPoint presentation, please CLICK HERE.
Links and Resources
Internet Service Connection:
Charter – FREE Spectrum Broadband 60 days in service area for all K-12 and college students without subscriptions
Call 1-866-874-2389
Free Wi-Fi hot spots:
AT&T
Xfinity: https://wifi.xfinity.com/
Student Learning:
Arts Education resources (local)
Chattahoochee Valley Libraries
Connect with Kids WebSource: Social and emotional learning
MCSD organizational code: inspire
- Pre-K-5th grade resources are now available.
- Students in Pre-K-12th grade can now access free, educational PBS daytime programming designated for each grade level weekdays on GPB-TV.
Talking to your kids about COVID-19:
When will the school year start?
August 9, 2021: All 3rd grade to 12th grade students start
Will the school day be extended?
I am having issues with the online registration portal. Who do I contact?
centralregistration@muscogee.k12.ga.us
706-748-2219, 706-748-2222, 706-748-2223
If schools close, is the District prepared for virtual instruction?
Will spectators be allowed at sporting events?
Will students receive Section 504 accommodations in a virtual learning environment?
Section 504 meetings (e.g., initial determinations and annual reviews) may be completed in a video-conferencing platform (i.e., Zoom), by phone, or in-person following CDC and health department guidelines.
What are the details on IEPs and how this works with both options?
Supports and services for students with disabilities will include the necessary accommodations and/or modifications while participating in either of the choice models. Instructional delivery will be designed to ensure the implementation of the least restrictive environment (LRE) as required by the student’s IEP. When necessary, virtual meetings will be used to convene special education procedural meetings, such as a local screening committee, reevaluation, eligibility and IEP Team Committee Meetings.
Will students with disabilities receive instruction from a special education teacher?
My child uses assistive technology per his/her IEP. Will teachers be trained in how to assign compatible work?
How do we obtain comp/special services for the time we lost in special services?
My child has a pre-existing condition. Can I choose the virtual option?
What precautions will the District take for in-person instruction to prevent the spread of COVID-19 illness?
The District will follow the guidelines for health and safety presented by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), local Department of Public Health, Georgia Department of Education, and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
District-wide safety thus far will include:
- Established access to testing, if needed
- Established check-in/check-out procedures administered through Raptor Technologies Visitor Management system
- Established crisis response protocol for site-level COVID-19 outbreaks
- Established processes to address employees or students displaying symptoms of illness
- Established cleaning and sanitization procedures at District sites and on buses
- Established disinfecting procedures for District site and buses affected by COVID-19 outbreaks and/or individuals displaying symptoms of illness
- Increased supplies of hand sanitizer, disinfectant, soap, and paper towels
- Increased clinic-based supplies of personal protection equipment and thermometers
If a child/teacher in the classroom tests positive for COVID-19 does the whole classroom quarantine?
If a child/teacher in the classroom tests positive for COVID-19 does the whole classroom quarantine?
The primary concern will appropriately remain with those affected but the Muscogee County School District remains equally focused on the safety and protection of the staff, students, and visitors that might have had contact with those diagnosed.
After learning that there has been a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, Muscogee County School District will notify school stakeholders of the positive case.
The Department of Public Health will be notified of the positive diagnosis per state guidelines.
If a child is quarantined how will they complete missing work?
Will the District provide face masks for students who do not have them?
On February 4, 2022, the Muscogee County School District, in collaboration with our local medical panel, will transition to masks being optional but recommended beginning Monday, February 14, 2022. Under federal mandates, masks are still required on all MCSD school buses.
Yes, on occasion if a student who wears a mask is lost, becomes contaminated, or breaks while on-site a mask can be provided. However, it is the responsibility of each parent to provide students with masks.
My child has special needs.Will he/she be required to wear a face covering?
On February 4, 2022, the Muscogee County School District, in collaboration with our local medical panel, will transition to masks being optional but recommended beginning Monday, February 14, 2022.
What happens if a child does not keep mask on? Will there be disciplinary action?
On February 4, 2022, the Muscogee County School District, in collaboration with our local medical panel, will transition to masks being optional but recommended beginning Monday, February 14, 2022. Under federal mandates, masks are still required on all MCSD school buses.
We will collaborate with the parents on acceptable and appropriate solutions for those individuals not wearing masks on MCSD buses.
If a mask is lost, dirty, contaminated, how will the child be able to obtain a new one?
On February 4, 2022, the Muscogee County School District, in collaboration with our local medical panel, will transition to masks being optional but recommended beginning Monday, February 14, 2022.
We will hold a discretionary number of masks in our clinics for instances where students lose or experience damage to a mask during the day.
What will the classroom setup look like to consider social distancing?
What safety precautions will you take for bus transportation?
Will specialized transportation still be provided for students with special needs?
Will students receive meals during the school day?
How will students socially distance during the day?
The proper distancing will depend upon the school community, its size, and number of students.
Will cleaning supplies be provided for cleaning classrooms and common areas?
Our Mission & Vision
Our mission is to inspire and equip all students to achieve unlimited potential.
The MCSD is a beacon of educational excellence where all are known, valued, and inspired.
Muscogee County School District
2960 Macon Road | Columbus, GA 31906
706-748-2000