Close Contact Monitor, Test, and Stay Protocol

Dear KPBSD staff, students, and families,

The KPBSD has revised its protocols for close contact tracing and quarantine in response to the needs of our staff, students, families and communities. Students and staff who are identified as close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 positive individuals and who remain asymptomatic will not be required to quarantine and can attend school and school sponsored activities by following the new KPBSD Monitor, Test, and Stay Protocol.

Updated January 10, 2022: 14 days has been reduced to 10. Beginning Monday, November 29, 2021, staff and students will now have the option to stay in school if they wear a face covering for 14 days, test and have two negative COVID-19 test results (first day and day 5-7), and remain symptom free.

This change in protocol was developed after conversations and review of what other school districts in the state and nation are beginning to implement. In KPBSD, data shows close contacts at school led to very few additional cases within 14 days (less than 6%), and the determination that the existing plan put an undue burden on staff and parents, and led to too many students missing school. Additionally, we know that quarantining from school has not kept children from participating together in other non-KPBSD activities. We have had good success in the past two weeks piloting this process with nearly 100 students and staff in three schools. It will be important that we maintain integrity with our existing layered mitigation plans so that we limit the number of students and staff going through a close contact process.

In addition to free testing at schools, KPBSD is making available at-home COVID-19 tests that will be free for staff and families. At this time, any staff member who is concerned they may have been exposed to COVID-19, or who has symptoms, will be able to take home a test kit. These tests are available now for staff, and we hope to have enough supplies to offer these to any family that would like them by the time winter break begins. We are working with Soldotna Professional Pharmacy to provide free off campus testing for our staff and families by appointment, and have reached out to other providers to see if we can partner to offer free off campus testing in other locations across the Kenai Peninsula.

Clayton Holland,
Superintendent of Schools
Kenai Peninsula Borough School District

Updated January 10, 2022:
Download Close Contact Monitor, Test, and Stay Protocol in PDF format

2021-11-24 Close Contact Graphic

Close Contact Monitor, Test, and Stay Protocol

Effective Monday, November 29, 2021; updated January 10, 2022

Staff and students who are identified as a close contact have an option to continue attending school or work in a KPBSD school if they are symptom free from illness, and follow the KPBSD Monitor, Test, and Stay Protocols:

MONITOR

  1. Be symptom free from illness (asymptomatic) through Day 10, and isolate at home if symptoms develop. Day 0 is last day of contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive. Any new or ongoing exposure to others with COVID-19 may increase required length of monitor, test, and mask to attend school in-person.

TEST

  1. Two negative COVID-19 tests: Get an approved Covid-19 test after notification of exposure, and a second test during Day 5-7. Covid-19 tests can be administered by KPBSD but will require parental consent. Other options* to test include at-home kits, and community locations.

STAY

  1. Wear a face covering in school at all times through Day 10. When close contacts cannot wear a face covering (i.e., when eating or drinking) they should maintain a minimum of six feet of distance from other individuals to every extent possible.

Athletes: In addition to the above three protocols, to continue to participate in school sponsored co-curricular activities, athletes must also continue Daily Symptom Check Protocols. Close Contacts should quarantine when not attending school or KPBSD sponsored activities. Individuals with up-to-date recommended vaccines who have completed the primary series, plus boosters or additional doses should refer to the updated CDC guidelines for quarantine.

When a student or staff member is identified as a close contact in a KPBSD setting, the school nurse, principal, or person who calls will explain the Monitor, Test, and Stay with consistent and correct masking.
Close contacts with no symptoms of illness may also choose to follow CDC and State of Alaska reduced quarantine guidance:

LINKS