LATEST GUIDANCE FROM WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Earlier this week, the Riverview School District nursing team prepared an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for students and families to have available through the Riverview School District website. The FAQ provides common answers and responses to questions our nurses have been receiving since the return of full-time, in-person learning in September.
This week, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) released further updates for COVID-19 requirements for K-12 schools. This includes new "COVID-19 Decision Trees," which provide guidance for families and school staff on the steps to take should a person appear symptomatic at school, as well as underlining the steps involved in identifying and caring for those deemed "Close Contacts" to a potential case of COVID-19.
Currently, King County has not authorized school districts to utilize a "Test-to-Stay" protocol. Riverview, like additional school districts in the region, are in contact with and working with Public Health - Seattle King County to finalize approval of a "Test-to-Stay" option for students.
The district website (linked above) has been updated to provide this latest information, including links for the new "Decision Trees." A significant change in this latest guidance involves what to do should someone exhibit symptoms common with COVID-19 exposure.
There are now two categories for those appearing symptomatic:
CATEGORY 1 - A person experiencing these symptoms should isolate at home AND get tested for COVID-19. They can return to school after providing a negative COVID-19 test, if they have had no fever within the past 24 hours (without medication) AND symptoms have significantly improved:
· Fever (100.4°F) or chills
· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
· Muscle or body aches
· New loss of taste or smell
CATEGORY 2 - A person experiencing these symptoms should isolate at home; however, they can return to school without a COVID-19 test if they only had one symptom, the symptom resolved within 24 hours, AND they were not a known close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19:
· Congestion or runny nose
· Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
· Cough (new, changed, or worsening)
· Headache
· Fatigue
· Sore throat
At all times, staying in contact with your school nurse is the best way to ensure students and staff members are kept as safe and healthy as possible. Should you or your child(ren) find themselves in a Category 1 or Category 2 situation, please send all questions to your school nurse at your very earliest opportunity.
We continue to follow the guidance of our local health experts and remind everyone that guidance can change at any given time. We thank everyone in our Riverview Community for continued support and partnership as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic together.
EMPOWER YOUTH NETWORK "BE A MENTOR" PROGRAM
With volunteers now permitted to return to our classrooms and buildings (see below), the Riverview School District is excited to again partner with Empower Youth Network and encourage community members to "Be A Mentor" and participate in the Empower Youth Network's youth mentoring program.
Empower Youth Network offers a one-to-one volunteer mentoring program called the Youth Success! Mentoring (YSM) program, that supports Riverview students. This program matches adult volunteers with students of all ages who could benefit from extra support, through a consistent weekly meeting during the school day. Mentor relationships have the potential to provide crucial support and positive guidance to help students grow and develop. See more benefits in their flyer below.
Anyone who has a desire to help a child – to show a child that they matter as an individual and that they are not alone in their day-to-day challenges – is encouraged to apply to become a mentor. Mentors meet once a week with the same student for about an hour. YSM provides mentor training and activity ideas that the matched pair can do together. Weekly connections between mentors and student are taking place in person at schools and a few via video conferencing calls facilitated by Empower Youth Network. Whether online or in person, the program wil continue to offer students a healthy weekly connection with their mentor.
If you’re interested in mentoring a Riverview student this 2021-22 school year, please visit the Empower Youth Network website to learn more about Youth Success! Mentoring and email: BeAMentor@EmpowerYouthNetwork.org.
VOLUNTEERS UPDATE
Effective October 18, 2021, all volunteers must have an up-to-date, completed, and approved volunteer application, proof of vaccination, or approved medical or religious exemption, on file with Riverview School District.
Volunteers for classrooms and other indoor activities will be allowed beginning Monday, October 4, 2021. If you are interested in volunteering in Riverview, you will need to gain approval from the classroom teacher and building administrator.
Volunteer applications are available at the Riverview ESC in Duvall or by clicking the link below.
#SHARINGSUNDAY RETURNS OCTOBER 10, 2021
The weekly #SharingSunday social media event returns, beginning October 10, 2021, with all new posts on the district's Facebook page. Since first launching in January 2019, #SharingSunday has earned both regional and national award recognition, while capturing an array of stories from the clubs, activities, and classroom interactions our students and staff engage in on a daily and weekly basis.
Images, stories, links to community events, and other Riverview-connected stories and information of interest are included. As many as 10 stories will be featured each Sunday, with posts releasing every 10-15 minutes or so, until we work through the stack of stories for a given week.
If you have a story or information you would like to be considered for an upcoming #SharingSunday, email the Riverview School District Communications Office at communications@rsd407.org. Please include your contact information, should our Communications Office need to follow up with any additional questions. When submitting student photos for consideration, please identify all students in the body of your email or communication.
We cannot wait to tell your stories each week in #SharingSunday!