COVID-19 Mitigation in 2022–23
In the 2022–23 school year, we are continuing with our layered mitigation strategy for addressing COVID-19. This is a community effort—staff, students, and families all have a role to play! Find a detailed COVID-mitigation plan for 2022–23 here.
If you have questions about COVID mitigation, please email covid@cmipcs.org.
COVID-19 Vaccination
Full vaccination against COVID-19 means that you’ve received all vaccine doses plus any boosters that you are eligible for.
The Office of the State Superintendent of Education requires all students aged 12 and older to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This is the age group for which the vaccine has received full, not emergency, approval.
Requests for vaccination exemptions should be sent to DC Health:
DC Health Immunization Program
899 North Capitol Street NE, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 576-7130
doh.immunization@dc.gov
Exemptions are valid for only one year.
The COVID vaccine is now available for everyone aged six months and older. We strongly encourage vaccination for our 3- through 11-year-old students. Vaccination is the best way to prevent serious illness, and it can shorten out-of-school time for close contacts.
COVID Level
The health protocols that are in place this school year will depend on the Creative Minds COVID level, which we will determine by looking at both in-school and community levels of COVID-19.
The in-school COVID level measures the number of cases at Creative Minds per five-day rolling average:
- Low: 10 or fewer cases in five days
- Medium: 11–20 cases in five days
- High: 21 or more cases in five days
The community level, outside Creative Minds, measures the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and healthcare systems. This level is determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Each week, we will determine the COVID level for Creative Minds by assessing the in-school and community levels; if the two levels are different, we will adhere to the higher level.
The Creative Minds COVID level will be shared in ParentSquare on Fridays, along with information about which COVID protocols will be in place at school for the next week.
COVID-19 Protocols
These are the protocols and when they will be implemented, according to the Creative Minds COVID level.
| Protocol |
LOW / BAJO / ዝቅተኛ
Community Level Nivel comunitario የማህበረሰብ ደረጃ |
MEDIUM / MEDIO / መካከለኛ
Community Level Nivel comunitario የማህበረሰብ ደረጃ |
HIGH / ALTO / ከፍተኛ Community Level Nivel comunitario: የማህበረሰብ ደረጃ |
|
Personal accountability (stay home if sick, hand hygiene, vaccines, and boosters, etc.) Responsabilidad personal (quedarse en casa si está enfermo, higiene de manos, vacunas y refuerzos, etc.) የግል ተጠያቂነት (ከታመሙ ቤት መቅረት፣ የእጅ ንፅህና፣ ክትባት፣ ወዘተ.) |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Masking for classrooms with COVID+ case in the past 7 days Mascarilla para aulas con casos de COVID+ en los últimos 7 días ማስክ – ባለፉት 7 ቀናት የኮቪድ ጉዳይ ያላቸው ክፍሎች ማድረግ አለባቸው |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Symptomatic testing Pruebas sintomáticas ምልክታዊ የኮቪድ ምርመራ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Periodic testing of close contacts Pruebas periódicas de contactos cercanos የቅርብ እውቂያዎችን በየጊዜው መሞከር |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Encourage vaccinations and boosters Fomentar vacunas y refuerzos የኮቪድ ክትባት እና ማበረታቻዎች መዉሰድ ማበረታት |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
UV-C Air Circulation / Ventilation Ventilación/circulación de aire UV-C UV-C የአየር ዝውውር / አየር ማናፈሻ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Deep cleaning and weekly electrostatic spraying Limpieza profunda y rociado electrostático semanal ጥልቅ ጽዳት እና ሳምንታዊ ኤሌክትሮስታቲክ ስፕሬይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Indoor masking for all Mascarilla interior para todos ሁሉም ህንፃው ውስጥ ማስክ ያደርጋል |
No No አይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Outdoor masking for all Mascarilla al aire libre para todos ሁሉም ዉጪ ማስክ ያደርጋል |
No No አይ |
No No አይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Test-to-return after breaks of one-week or more or when dictated by the Office of the State Superintendent of Education Prueba para regresar después de recesos de una semana o más o cuando lo dicte el Office of the State Superintendent of Education ከ1 ሳምንት ወይም ከዚያ በላይ እረፍት መልስ ምርመራ፣ ወይም በOffice of the State Superintendent of Education ትእዛዝ ምርመራ |
No No አይ |
No No አይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Building limited to staff, students, and essential visitors El edificio está limitado al personal, estudiantes y visitantes esenciales ህንፃው አስፈላጊ ለሆኑ ሰራተኞች፣ ተማሪዎች እና ጎብኝዎች የተገደበ ነው |
No No አይ |
No No አይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
|
Virtual if the school lacks adequate staff to operate safely La escuela carece del personal adecuado para operar de manera segura ትምህርት ቤቱ ደህንነቱ በተጠበቀ መልክ ለማስተማር በቂ ሰራተኞች ከሌሉት ምናባዊ ነው |
No No አይ |
No No አይ |
Yes Sí አዎ |
COVID-19 Symptoms
Families play a crucial role in COVID-19 mitigation. We ask that all families know the symptoms of COVID-19 and keep sick children home from school. If you are unsure about whether your child may come to school, please email covid@cmipcs.org.
People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, including the following:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This list does not include all possible symptoms. The CDC is updating its list of symptoms as more is learned about COVID-19.
Periodic-Testing Program
Creative Minds is authorized as a COVID laboratory and can conduct antigen, also known as rapid, COVID-19 testing at school. We offer a periodic-testing program for staff and students who have been identified as close contacts of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
Close contact means anyone in the homeroom of a COVID-positive individual. A person is considered a close contact for seven days after the last contact with a COVID-positive individual.
Close contacts may remain at school as long as they display no COVID-19 symptoms. Periodic testing is highly encouraged if there are one to two COVID cases in a classroom within five days. Periodic testing is required if there are three or more COVID cases in a classroom within five days. Participants may choose to take a COVID test at home or at school.
Our COVID team (covid@cmipcs.org) will contact the families of any students who are identified as close contacts and share information about COVID-19 symptoms and periodic testing.
Exclusion and Return Criteria
Here’s an overview of our exclusion and return-to-school criteria for COVID-positive individuals and close contacts:
| Scenario | Periodic COVID-19 Testing | One Negative COVID-19 Test and Shortened Quarantine? |
No COVID-19 Test and Quarantine at Home for 10 Days? | With Alternative Diagnosis: Stay at School? |
| Testing Positive for COVID-19 | No | Yes | Yes | NA |
| Exhibiting COVID-like Symptoms | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Is an Asymptomatic Close Contact | Yes | Yes | Yes | NA |
If a Community Member Tests Positive for COVID-19
Excluded from School? Yes
Return Criteria: With a COVID-19 Test
- Take a COVID-19 test on day five after symptom onset, or later.
- If the test result is negative, return to school on the next school day.
- If the test result is positive, repeat the test once a day until day 10. When a negative result is achieved, return to school on the next school day.
Return Criteria: Without a COVID-19 Test
Return on day 11 after (1) symptom onset or (2) the date of the positive COVID test, whichever period is longer.
COVID-positive individuals must wear a mask for 10 days after symptom onset or the positive-test date, whichever period is longer.
If a Community Member Exhibits COVID-like symptoms
Excluded from School? Yes
Return Criteria
- One COVID-19 Test: Take a test when feeling better. If negative, cleared to return.
- No COVID-19 Test: Self-quarantine for 10 days from symptom onset. Return on day 11.
- Alternative diagnosis: Provide a note from a healthcare provider; cleared to return according to the provider’s instructions.
Asymptomatic Close Contacts
Excluded from School? No, with periodic testing.
Periodic COVID-19 Testing
If one to two COVID-19 cases in a classroom within five days:
- Close contacts must wear masks indoors and outdoors, except when actively eating, drinking, or napping, for seven days after the last close contact with the COVID-positive individual.
- It is recommended that close contacts take a COVID-19 test the day after notification and on day 5.
- Testing may be done at home or at school.
- Positive test results must be reported to covid@cmipcs.org.
- Creative Minds will supply free COVID-19 tests for as long as the school has them in stock.
If three or more COVID-19 cases in a classroom within five days:
- Close contacts must wear masks indoors and outdoors, except when actively eating, drinking, or napping, for seven days after the last close contact with the COVID-positive individual.
- Close contacts must take a COVID-19 test the day after notification of the third COVID case and on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until or after day five.
- Testing may be done at home or at school.
- Positive test results must be reported to covid@cmipcs.org.
- Creative Minds will supply free COVID-19 tests for as long as the school has them in stock.
Remote Learning
Remote learning is an option for COVID-positive individuals and close contacts during periods of quarantine. Logistics will depend on the situation.
An Individual Is Excluded from School: Asynchronous learning (students complete assignments offline).
A Classroom Is Excluded from School: Combination of synchronous (students attend live classes remotely) and asynchronous learning.
Details will be provided to families whose children participate in remote learning. Please email covid@cmipcs.org with any questions.