DSST: Aurora Science & Tech Middle School
Final reminders for the first day of school
08/16/21, 5:07 PM
DSST families and students,
We are just days away from kicking off the 2021-22 school year, and we couldn’t be more excited to see our students and bring our school communities back together. Our teams across the network have spent the last several weeks laying the groundwork to start the year, which includes preparation to continue to take increased precautions to keep our school communities safe. On August 6, we shared that masks are required for everyone in the school building, unless the student has a documented accommodation within their IEP or 504 Plan, and that you should keep your student home if they are experiencing COVID-like symptoms (see our When to Stay Home Tool). Below you’ll find two additional important updates.
Informing you of COVID-19 incidents and close contacts
In the event that there is a positive case in one of our buildings, we want to ensure that you’re fully informed so that you can monitor your child for symptoms. Should your school confirm a positive COVID-19 case, your school will:
- Communicate to all families in the school to inform them of the positive case. Students who were not in close contact with the positive case (defined as being within three feet for more than 15 minutes within a 24-hour period) will not need to quarantine or isolate.
- Communicate to the family of any student who was a close contact of the positive case with directions for what to do based upon their student’s vaccination status (more on how we monitor vaccination status in the “vaccination” section below).
- Students who are vaccinated should return to school but must monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms. If they have any of the symptoms, they should call the school and isolate themselves at home immediately.
- Students who are not vaccinated should not come to school and will be instructed to quarantine at home, and follow the emails directions around when to get tested and when they can return.
Vaccination Records
Students who are vaccinated will not need to quarantine if they have a close contact with another person. Unvaccinated students will need to quarantine after a close contact with a positive case.
We will be validating a student’s vaccination record through the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS), which includes COVID-19 vaccination records. This is the same system schools across the state typically access to verify that students have other required vaccines (such as measles, mumps, or rubella). Your child’s privacy is a priority, and only a limited number of DSST senior leaders will have access to student-level vaccination information, including each schools’ Health and Safety Lead, a designated school-based backup leader, and one network level leader. They are not permitted to share your child’s record with anyone other than senior DSST leaders on a legitimate need-to know basis, and with your family.
We strongly encourage all eligible students, age 12 and older, to get vaccinated. Vaccinations are our most effective tool to combat the spread of COVID-19 and prevent severe illness within our school community.
Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to have a strong, safe start to the school year. Please visit our website for up-to-date COVID guidance and information on testing, vaccinations, and other COVID-related resources. We look forward to a great year together and are excited to see our communities come together for the first day of school!
DSST Public Schools
