As a way to keep the UCVTS community updated of COVID-19 positive individuals and related information, a dashboard has been created which will track positive cases in the District, by school. The UCVTS COVID-19 Dashboard can be found on the pop-up window on the UCVTS District main page and also via the COVID-19 updates page. Please note the number of cases for a given week will be tracked and included with year to date reporting beginning on September 6, 2022. For your reference, enrollment numbers for students and total number of UCVTS staff members are also included.

Pandemic Related Safety Procedures for 2022-2023 School Year

While we continue to move forward with respect to COVID-19 and the impact the pandemic has had on our schools and or lives, it remains important for our community to maintain safe practices concerning illness. Where practicable, UCVTS will continue to follow updated Center for Disease Control (CDC) and New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) guidelines for K-12 schools and will make community health related decisions in collaboration with our local Department of Health Official.  More detailed information can be found by exploring resource links provided.

     Masks – Students and staff are not required to wear masks.  Any student or staff member who chooses to wear a mask may do so without fear of teasing, harassment, intimidation and/or bullying. The district may consider requiring masks during “high” or “very high” (orange and red) weekly activity levels or if significant community spread or transmission is suspected.  Students who are feeling unwell during the school day and who visit the school nurse will be required to wear masks while in the nurses office. Masks will be provided to students in this location. Resources:  CDC Guidance - Masks/Facial Coverings

     Vaccination - COVID-19 vaccinations are now widely available. All families and staff members are encouraged to speak with their family or personal care physician regarding the benefits associated with receiving a vaccine. Please find information about receiving the vaccination below. Resources:  New Jersey Department of Health and  County of Union, New Jersey.

     Bell Schedule – Students and staff will follow a normal bell schedule for the 22-23 school year. For students, the school day begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 2:50 p.m. Resources:  Bell Schedule

     Lunch and Co-curricular Periods - Students will follow a normal lunch and co-curricular schedule.

     Health Screening & Testing – Students and staff should self-monitor for COVID-19 related symptoms, as well as other illness, and are expected to stay home when ill.  It is recommended that individuals who are experiencing COVID-19 or flu-like symptoms be tested. Resources:  NJ COVID-19 Information Hub and  Union County COVID-19 Portal

     Cleaning, Disinfecting, & Ventilation - At least once daily, rooms will be disinfected. All touch points will be disinfected daily. All cleaning products will be CDC, EPA COVID-19 registered products. Facility ventilation systems circulate fresh air into the buildings according to specified requirements.

     Hygiene & Respiratory Etiquette - UCVTS will promote behaviors that reduce community spread. All students and staff should stay home when ill or experiencing symptoms. All students and staff should avoid touching their eyes, wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after coughing or sneezing, and limit contact with individuals who are ill.  Students and staff are encouraged to bring water bottles to school/work, however, water fountains are available. Hand sanitizers and EPA-registered disinfectant wipes will be made available. The District will prepare and maintain hand sanitizing and/or hand washing stations with alcohol-based hand sanitizers (at least 60% alcohol) and/or soap.  Resources:  Effective Handwashing

     Notification of Illness & Travel - Nursing staff and/or administrators will work with LDH officials in the event that we are notified of a community member who has tested positive and to identify any individuals who may need to quarantine. Parents and staff are required to notify school authorities of illness and/or of a positive test result and of travel outside of the United States. Notification can be made via email to UCVTS school nurses at  jsherer@ucvts.org or  cparham-foster@ucvts.org or by calling (908)-889-8288 ext.

405.

     Quarantine – CDC guidance no longer recommends quarantine for people who are exposed to COVID-19 in schools. Students who are ill are expected to isolate and stay home when ill. CDC guidance recommends that once isolation has ended for an individual who is positive for COVID-19, that the individual wear a well-fitting mask around others for ten (10) days following the date of positive test.

     Pick-up & Drop-off Procedures - Families who transport students to UCVTS must pick-up or drop-off in designated areas. For safety and traffic flow reasons, procedures will be strictly adhered to. Please expect traffic delays and plan accordingly. All visitors must schedule an appointment in advance. Visitors will be expected to follow all safety protocols.

Resources:  Pick-up/Drop-Off Procedures

     COVID-19 Dashboard – Students, staff, and families can keep informed regarding numbers of positive COVID-19 cases in our community by visiting the District COVID-19 Dashboard. The dashboard will be updated daily.

Resources:  UCVTS COVID-19 Dashboard

      Additional UCVTS Guiding Resources -

§     COVID-19 Resource Page on District Website

§     American Rescue Plan –  Safe Return Plan (UCVTS)

§     New Jersey Department of Health - COVID-19: Information for Schools

§     Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools

We encourage parents, students, and staff to continue following safeguards, such as:

• Get vaccinated;
• Stay home when you are sick;
• Notify the UCVTS school nurses of all COVID-19 exposures or travel out of the Country at jsherer@ucvts.org or
  cparham-foster@ucvts.org
• Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
• Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
• Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks and utensils;
• Practicing social distancing (where practicable);
• Wearing a masks/face covering while in school; and
• Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.

As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact your building principal. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES

a. COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility and Availability:
https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/vaccine
https://ucnj.org/covid19/vaccinations-page/

b. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml

c. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

d. Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptomstesting/symptoms.html

e. Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html; https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing

f. How to Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-gettingsick/prevention.html

g. What to Do if You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/stepswhen-sick.html