D93 remains in red phase next week

BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – Bonneville School District 93 will remain in the “High risk” or “Red phase” next week (October 11-15).

In the high risk category:

• Students and employees are MANDATORY to wear blankets over their mouths and noses when physical distance cannot be maintained. Please send your children with masks on the school bus and to school.
• Monitor children for symptoms of COVID before sending them to school and please keep them home if they have any unexplained symptoms.
• Staff and students with unexplained symptoms of COVID at school will be sent home.
  • They can come back with a negative COVID test or 24 hours after symptoms have stopped.
• Families will be notified when their children are exposed to a positive case at school. Exposed students who do not wear masks or do not have current immunity will be required to self-quarantine outside of the school.
• Students and employees should wash their hands often and practice respiratory etiquette.
• Non-IHSAA activities will not be permitted without the approval of the District Safety Committee.

Monday will be a regular day for Kindergarten to Grade 6, and Grades 7 to 12 will have a half day of school-teacher collaboration.

Tuesday to Friday will be a normal school day.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to answer our questions about our COVID response plan.

The district said it had a much higher turnout in its investigation into the COVID response plan than it did in the first investigation in August. With 3,643 responses from families, the results have a confidence index of 99% with an error rate of +/- 2%. Here are the main takeaways from the survey: https://d93.org/COVIDplanreport

• Mask requirement in the high risk phase of the plan
  • 53% of families supported and 38% of families opposed the mask requirement.
  • 70% of employees supported and 21% opposed the mask requirement.
• Random COVID Testing for Students and Employees
  • 53% of families oppose it; 32% are supported; 14% uncertain
  • 39% of employees oppose it; 39% supported; 22% uncertain
• Vaccination
  • 82% of staff reported having been vaccinated (significantly higher percentage than the percentage who attended our vaccination clinics last spring)
  • 43% of families said eligible children received the vaccine (similar to national averages)
  • 33% of families said if the vaccination was approved for young school-aged children, they would likely receive it
  • 13% of families said they would like the district to provide an immunization clinic for young children

• Take-out meals in the neighborhood
  • The district does not plan to participate in the state’s COVID screening and testing program for students and employees.
  • He does not plan to organize vaccination clinics for students.
    • Families who want their children to receive the vaccine should consult private providers. See www.vaccin.gov for current suppliers.
  • There is a large percentage of families who oppose the mask requirements, but there is also strong support for this requirement.