Message From Superintendent Concerning COVID-19

Posted Date: 01/18/2022

Dear Union Parents, Guardians and Staff: 

Union is changing our isolation process for those who are positive for COVID-19 to match the CDC’s updated guidance. Effective immediately, people with COVID-19 should isolate for five days from the date of the positive test. (Previously, the requirement was 10 days, so this is a significant change).

It is important that we continue to follow the continually evolving recommendations of experts, particularly as the omicron variant continues to have an impact on schools. Union’s positive cases have increased significantly since returning from the holidays. Yesterday, we had 45 staff and 41 students who tested positive for COVID, which is up significantly from prior to the holidays.

However, by taking CDC-recommended precautions, including vaccinations for those 5 and older, wearing masks and socially distancing, we have become very adept at keeping our COVID numbers down. I am confident we can safely adopt this new guidance.

The new process, in full, for those who test positive for COVID is as follows:

• Students and staff with COVID-19 should isolate for five days from the date of the positive test.
• If they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving, without fever for 24 hours, they may return to school on the sixth day.
• A mask must be worn for the first five days (days 6-10) they are back at school to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter. The mask is required, even if a mask exemption was requested.
• If symptoms have not improved or if the student or staff member has had a fever in the past 24 hours, they should remain in isolation until they meet the above criteria.

Here is a link to our district’s protocols in the Safe Return and Continuity of Services Plan. It will be available on the website for public comment and will be discussed at the Board of Education meeting on January 18. Please send any comments to [email protected]. All comments will be shared with board members and executive staff.

In the meantime, we are doing everything in our power to keep students and staff safely in school and to minimize disruptions. It’s important that we not be distracted from our primary mission of educating students.

Sincerely,

Kirt Hartzler, Ed.D.
Superintendent