COVID Dashboard & Safety Measures

Total Current Active Cases

All
Staff

0

Non-Staff &
Volunteers

0

All
Students

17

Active Student Cases by School

School	Active Cases
BRS	0
BREC	0
CVS	1
FV	3
JCEC	2
JCS	0
SC	3
SME	2
SMHS	6

* The dashboard is updated as needed, Monday through Friday. Cases reported over the weekend are included with the Monday update.

Flowcharts for COVID Exposure, Diagnosis, and Symptoms

Return to Play Protocol for Athletes

Athletics: Return to Play Form (NCHSAA)

The information below is based on the "Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit (K-12)" published by the NC Department of Health and Human Services. For more information, please contact your school nurse, school-level liaison, or a district-level contact.

General Public Health Guidance

With rapidly accelerating viral transmission and the increased contagiousness of the delta variant, the CDC updated their guidance on July 27, 2021 to include recommendations for universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status.
COVID-19 is mostly spread when an infected person breathes out droplets and very small particles that contain the virus. These droplets and particles can be inhaled by other people or land on their eyes, nose, or mouth. To a lesser extent, the virus may spread by touching a contaminated surface and then touching the nose or mouth causing infection. Therefore, personal prevention practices such as wearing face coverings, handwashing, and staying home when sick as well as good ventilation and environmental cleaning are important measures covered in this health guidance.
On July 27, 2021, the Jackson County Board of Education voted to require universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors in JCPS schools.
Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are at low risk of symptomatic or severe illness including hospitalization or death. A growing body of evidence suggests that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are also less likely to have an asymptomatic infection or transmit COVID-19 to others than people who are not fully vaccinated. In most settings, people who are fully vaccinated can safely resume normal activities.
Schools may request proof of vaccination for faculty, staff, and students ages 12 and up.

Cloth Face Coverings

Indoors:
- Mask use is required for all individuals over 2 years of age including students, teachers, and staff. Children under 2 years of age should not wear a mask.
Outdoors:
- In general, people do not need to wear a mask when outdoors. However, CDC recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings or during activities that involve sustained close contact with other people who are not fully vaccinated, particularly in areas of substantial to high transmission.
During school transportation:
- All passengers and drivers will wear a mask on school buses, including on buses operated by school systems, subject to the exclusions and exemptions in CDC’s order which include:
  - Should not wear a face covering due to any medical or behavioral condition or disability (including, but not limited to, any person who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious or incapacitated, or is otherwise unable to put on or remove the face covering without assistance);
  - Is under two (2) years of age;
  - Is actively eating or drinking;
  - Is seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired in a way that requires the mouth to be visible;
  - Is giving a speech for a broadcast or to an audience;
  - Is working at home or is in a personal vehicle;
  - Is temporarily removing his or her face covering to secure government or medical services or for identification purposes;
  - Would be at risk from wearing a face covering at work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulations or workplace safety guidelines;
  - Has found that his or her face covering is impeding visibility to operate equipment or a vehicle; or
  - Is a child whose parent, guardian, or responsible person has been unable to place the face covering safely on the child’s face.

Physical Distancing & Minimizing Exposure

A distance of at least 6 feet is recommended between students and teachers/staff, and between teachers/staff who are not fully vaccinated.
Maintain a minimum of three (3) feet of distance between students who are not fully vaccinated within school settings to the greatest extent possible.
Maintain a minimum of six (6) feet between adults (teachers/staff/visitors) and students and between adults (teachers/staff/visitors) who are not fully vaccinated within school settings to the greatest extent possible.

Handling Possible, Suspected, Presumptive, or Confirmed Positive Cases of COVID-19

Symptoms
- Students, teachers, and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home and be referred to their healthcare provider for testing and care. Staying home while sick is essential for keeping infections out of schools and preventing the spread of COVID-19 to others. For students, staff, and teachers with chronic conditions, symptom presence should represent a change from their typical health status to warrant exclusion from school.
- Upon the occurrence of any of the symptoms below while a student, teacher, or staff member is at school, the person may be referred for diagnostic COVID-19 testing or evaluation.
  - Fever (temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)
  - Sore throat
  - Cough (for people with chronic cough due to allergies or asthma, a change in their cough from baseline)
  - Difficulty breathing (for people with asthma, a change from their baseline breathing)
  - New loss of taste or smell
  - Diarrhea or vomiting
  - New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
- If a student is sent home due to symptoms or exposure, a letter will be sent home with the student detailing the type of symptoms/exposure, actions to be taken, and possible duration of isolation/quarantine. The parent will also receive a phone call from the school nurse.
People who are not fully vaccinated will need to quarantine after a recent close contact (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes cumulatively over a 24-hour period).
- An exception to this rule is made for students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student where both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of well-fitting face masks.
- This exception does not apply to teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.
Isolation is required for all presumptive (have symptoms but refuse to be tested) or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
- Staff and students must disclose and stay at home or go home if they are showing symptoms or have tested positive.
Quarantine is required for individuals who have been in close contact (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes cumulatively over a 24-hour period) of someone who is determined positive with COVID-19 either through testing or symptoms consistent diagnosis, with the following three (3) exceptions
- Individuals who are fully vaccinated and do not have symptoms do NOT need to quarantine after a close contact.
- These individuals should however be tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask around others until receiving a negative test result.
- People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered and do not have symptoms do NOT have to quarantine.
- Students who are not fully vaccinated after a close contact in a classroom or other school setting if masks are being worn appropriately and consistently by both the person with COVID-19 and the potentially exposed person do NOT need to quarantine.
  - Does not apply to teacher, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.
Options to reduce the duration of quarantine (CDC continues to recommend quarantine for 14 days after last exposure)
- 10 days of quarantine have been completed and no symptoms have been reported during daily at-home monitoring.
- 7 days of quarantine have been completed, no symptoms have been reported during daily at-home monitoring, and the individual has received results of a negative antigen or PCR/molecular test on a test taken no earlier than day 5 of quarantine.
- If quarantine is discontinued before day 14, the individual should continue to monitor symptoms and strictly adhere to all non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. wear a mask, practice physical distancing) through 14 days following the date of last exposure.

Cleaning & Hygiene

Cleaning of surfaces and washing hands with soap and water for 20 seconds or using hand sanitizer reduces the spread of disease.
People should practice handwashing and respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes) to keep from getting and spreading infectious illnesses including COVID-19. If handwashing is not possible, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (for teachers, staff, and older students who can safely use hand sanitizer). Hand sanitizers should be stored up, away, and out of sight of young children and should only be used with adult supervision for children under 6 years of age.
Clean surfaces once a day, prioritizing high-touch surfaces. If there has been a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 24 hours, clean and disinfect the space using an EPA-approved disinfectant for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including securely storing and using products away from children, and allowing for adequate ventilation when staff use such products.

Transportation

All students ages 5 years and older and all teachers, staff, and adult visitors will wear face coverings when they are on a bus or other transportation vehicle unless the person (or family member, for a student) states that an exception applies.
If an individual becomes sick during the day, they do not use group transportation to return home and follow protocols outlined above.
If a driver becomes sick during the day, they will follow protocols outlined above and not return to drive students until they meet criteria to return.
Keep windows open while the vehicle is in motion to help reduce spread of the virus by increasing air circulation if appropriate, safe, and weather permitting.
Clean transportation vehicles regularly. Children should not be present when a vehicle is being cleaned.
Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing products securely away from children and adequate ventilation when staff use such products.
Clean frequently touched surfaces in the vehicle (e.g., surfaces in the driver’s cockpit, hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles) prior to morning routes and prior to afternoon routes.
Keep doors and windows open when cleaning the vehicle and between trips to let the vehicles thoroughly air out.
Clean equipment including items such as car seats and seat belts, wheelchairs, walkers, and adaptive equipment being transported to schools.
Provide hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) to support healthy hygiene behaviors on all school transportation vehicles for safe use by staff and older children.
- Hand sanitizer should only remain on school transportation while the vehicles are in use.
- Systematically and frequently check and refill hand sanitizer.

Reporting

Employees who test positive for COVID-19 should contact their immediate supervisor as soon as possible.
Parents/guardians whose child tests positive for COVID-19 should contact their school-level liaison as soon as possible.

District-Level Contacts

Classroom Learning

Sanitation

School Nutrition

Transportation

School-Level Liaisons

The student/parent liaison at each school is the primary contact for questions regarding student schedules as well as communication about COVID-19 exposure.

Blue Ridge School

Kheri Cowan
(828) 743-2646 ext. 1301

Blue Ridge Early College

Brandon Pendergast
(828) 743-2646 ext. 1350

Cullowhee Valley

Josh Watson
(828) 293-5667 ext. 1406

Fairview School

Carleen Parham
(828) 586-2819 ext. 1201

Jackson Community School

Laura Brown
(828) 586-4328 ext. 1559

Jackson Co. Early College

Melanie Jacobs
(828) 339-4499

Scotts Creek

Janice Hill
(828) 631-2740 ext. 1106

Smokey Mtn. Elem.

Michelle Marr
(828) 497-5535 ext. 1704

Smoky Mtn. High

Jeremy Cauley
(828) 586-2177 ext. 2902