- Reed Union School District
- RUSD Frequently Asked Questions
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RUSD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
REOPENING SCHOOLS / PHASES
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Where can I find the schedules for Phase 4?
All RUSD students in the traditional program will start Phase 4 on Monday, April 19.
Phase 4 Schedules can be found here:
Reed Phase 4 Schedule
Bel Aire Phase 4 Schedule
Del Mar Phase 4 Schedule -
Will distance learning still be available when RUSD transitions to Phase 4?
Yes, students in the ExDL program will continue in distance learning for the remainder of the school year.
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Will RUSD move to distance learning after Spring Break?
Yes, all RUSD students in grades K-8 will be in a distance learning schedule from April 12 - April 16.
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When RUSD transitions to Phase 3, what will happen to Phase 2?
Marin Public Health has confirmed that schools may remain open under the Stay at Home Order. RUSD is scheduled to transition to Phase 3 on Monday, January 11th. This means that Phase 2 will no longer be a learning phase for our students. If Public Health makes changes in guidelines that would require school campuses to close or revert to smaller cohorts, then we would revert back to Phases 1 or 2.
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What is the Regional Stay At Home Order?
The Regional Stay Home Order was effective in Marin County from December 8, 2020 - January 25, 2021. The Regional Stay Home Order was put into place to address a crisis in ICU capacity that was caused by exponential community transmission combined with scarce hospital resources in equipment, space, and staffing. Regions entered the Stay Home Order when the regional ICU capacity fell below 15%.
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How do I get more information on what is happening with Marin schools?
Marin County Public Health continues to work in close partnership with Marin County Office of Education and leaders of public, private, parochial and independent schools to prepare for and facilitate the eventual reopening of K-12 schools for in-person instruction.
Visit Marin Public Health's Schools Page for more information.
ACTIONALY DAILY SCREENING
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What happens if a student does not meet the Actionaly daily screening criteria and must stay home?
At Reed and Bel Aire the Test or 10 Learning Support Plan is designed for students that need to stay home due to illness or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. If students need to stay home because they have traveled in the past 10 days, or mixed with other households, they will still have access to the learning-support-plan provided by their teacher which will include grade-level skill practice and classroom-specific assignments. Individual Zoom sessions with the teacher will be reserved for students that have followed the guidelines of Marin Public Health.
At Del Mar students who need to stay home will join their grade-level cohort that is assigned to distance learning for the week.
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Will the Actionaly daily health questions be updated now that new CDPH guidance allows outdoor competitive sports to resume?
The Actionaly daily heath questions will continue to be updated when we receive new guidance from public health, including new decision trees or if we enter into a new tier. Except during Stay at Home orders, students have been able to participate in three cohort groups, which includes school and two after school activities.
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What is the rationale for adding the new Actionaly screening question for high-risk activities?
RUSD follows Marin Public Health guidance to ensure a safe return to schools for our entire community. Marin Public Heath has added specific language to the Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 that states, "Anyone (except fully vaccinated persons) who has engaged in high-risk activities or out-of-state travel should quarantine for 10 days and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. If any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and test. Quarantine may be discontinued after 7 days with a negative test (antigen or molecular) completed on Day 5 or later if they remain asymptomatic."
COVID TESTING
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What should I do if my child tests Positive for COVID-19?
To ensure that we can continue to keep our school campuses safe and open, we need to be aware if your child tests positive for COVID-19. Please email your school office personnel with the subject line of Positive COVID Test if your child tests positive for COVID-19. We will then communicate with other families if their child may have been exposed to COVID-19.
Reed – Isabelle Moattar at imoattar@reedschools.org and/or call 415.435.7840 x1002
Bel Aire – Lora Nazarian at lnazarian@reedschools.org and/or call 415.559.8112
Del Mar – Laura Kristy at lkristy@reedschools.org and/or call 415.435.1468 ext. 0
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Does the testing timeline and the type of COVID-19 test matter?
Yes. In order to shorten the duration of a quarantine, a negative COVID-19 test is only valid if taken 5 days after the last date of exposure, contact, mixing, travel, etc. because the virus may not be detected prior to that time. It is also important that the test is a PCR nasal swab test as it is the most reliable form of testing. The T-PCR rapid saliva test is not accepted as it is a less reliable test. Please refer to the Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 to determine when your student must stay home from school due to illness.
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Are all schools required to have weekly COVID-19 testing for children under the updated CDPH guidance?
No, schools that have successfully implemented the protocols outlined within the COVID-19 School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSSPP) and have already opened for in-person instruction are not required to increase testing cadence on campuses under the updated CDPH Guidelines. Weekly testing for students is currently a requirement of a grant opportunity offered to districts to help them open school campuses. RUSD has already opened campuses so this requirement does not apply to our district. Any school currently open is subject to the minimum testing requirement standards established by Cal/OSHA. RUSD has the resources to test staff monthly, and/or weekly if desired by the employee.
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What if there is a delay in my COVID-19 test results, can my child attend school?
RUSD is offering COVID-19 testing on campus the week following Spring Break. However, with the increase in testing volume in Marin County and the state, RUSD cannot guarantee when test results will be available. Additional testing options are offered on the Marin Public Health Website at Covid-19 Testing Information.
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Is there a policy about when students should be tested for COVID-19?
There will not be a policy for student testing requirements, but RUSD has contracted with Curative and PMH Laboratories to provide COVID-19 testing on our campuses on specified dates. As a practice, all RUSD students in grades K-8 will be in a distance learning schedule the week following Spring Break. This practice is in place so that if families have traveled, they will return home prior to distance learning and will take advantage of COVID-19 testing.
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Will public health or RUSD be able to make tests rapidly available?
Marin County Public Health has provided a variety of testing resources at Covid-19 Testing Information. RUSD is working with Curative and PMH Laboratories to provide ON-CAMPUS testing for staff and families. If a student needs to be tested, and PMH is not scheduled to be on our campus, additional testing resources are available through Marin County Public Health and private medical facilities.
COVID VACCINE
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Where can I find more information about the COVID vaccine?
RUSD Nurses Mankin and Farasati have compiled answers to frequently asked questions related to vaccination here.
HEALTH & SAFETY
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Do students need to stay home from school if they present with allergy symptoms?
Our school nurses understand that students may have seasonal allergies during this time. To ensure that allergy symptoms are accurately assessed, please remember to:- Complete your student’s Actionaly Daily Health Screening accurately each day. Even if your child only has a stuffy/runny nose, it could be a cold or other contagious illness, so it’s important that you keep your student home until their symptoms have improved. Cold symptoms alone usually will not require COVID testing.
- Notify our school nurses if your child has seasonal allergies, so we may note that in your child’s school records.
- Work with your child’s pediatrician to manage your child’s allergy symptoms so that they don’t have to miss school due to a runny nose/congestion. Thank you for helping to keep our schools safe and open!
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Are there additional resources available to help manage social, emotional and mental health?
Yes, Marin County Office of Education has created a Mental Health and Wellness webpage with many resources to help families and students. Additionally, UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences has resources that may be helpful for families, such as Emotional Well-Being and Coping During COVID-19. A list of mental health and crisis support phone numbers can be found here.
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Where can I find the latest updates from Marin Public Health related to COVID-19?
Marin Public Health posts daily updates regarding Covid-19 here. When Marin Public Health modifies its guidance and changes their public documents, we update those documents on our District website under the COVID tab. Here are some recent documents that are important to families as they guide our practices and procedures at school.- Tier 3 Decision Tree, provides direction to families and staff about when to stay home from school/work. This document informs the Actionaly daily health screening questions
- Quarantine Guidance if you or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive
- Family Handbook for COVID-19 includes most recent updates regarding Test-or-10 guidelines
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Are nannies and babysitters permitted while the Stay Home Order is in place?
Yes, the Stay Home Order permits nannies and babysitters caring for a child in the child’s own home to continue working. According to Marin Public Health, the current Stay Home Order allows “Home service workers to keep providing services in homes if they are essential to health, safety, sanitation, necessary to the operation of the home or otherwise allowed under the current Order. This includes plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other services needed to maintain a safe and sanitary home. Home construction and repair work is also allowed, as is home-based care for children, adults, seniors, and pets.” View more Health Orders FAQs from Marin Public Health here.
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When must I keep my student home from school?
Please refer to the Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 to determine when your student must stay home from school due to illness.
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What if my child is exposed to COVID-19 (at school or at home)?
Exposed person(s) should quarantine for 10 days and monitor for symptoms for 14 days. If any symptoms develop, they should immediately self-isolate and test. Quarantine may be discontinued after 7 days with a negative test (antigen or molecular) completed on Day 5 or later if they remain asymptomatic. Please refer to the Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 to determine when your student must stay home from school due to illness.
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Will RUSD continue to inform us of positive COVID-19 cases in the district?
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If I'm sick but I don't need a COVID-19 test, how long do I stay home?
Follow the guidance of your doctor which may be specific to your individual health needs. In general, if you have symptoms, stay at home until you are fever free for at least 24 hours (without the aid of fever reducing medication) and 10 days after your symptoms have resolved. **This guidance is for school staff and students, general population would need to be fever free for 24 hours and have improving symptoms**
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
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If my child shows cold symptoms, do I assume it's COVID-19?
Cold, influenza and COVID-19 symptoms can be similar. Regardless, keeping the child home that is showing symptoms is a good way to reduce the spread of colds and flu within schools. Marin Health and Human Service's Family Handbook for COVID-19 - Tier 2 is a useful tool to reference for any questions.
As for others in your household, if your child is showing symptoms, it is important to evaluate your child’s symptoms and possible exposures to COVID-19 when deciding whether other children in your household should stay home. Marin Public Health has developed a Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 to guide parents, based on whether the child has a fever or if the child was exposed to someone with COVID-19.
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
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What are the mask or face covering requirements for schools?
Each person on campus, whether student, staff, administrative, maintenance, etc, is required to wear a face covering.
A “Face Covering” means a covering made of cloth, fabric, or other soft or permeable material, without holes, that covers only the nose and mouth and surrounding areas of the lower face. Face coverings should have two layers of fabric, but it does not need to be a medical-grade mask.
Face shields are acceptable when used with a face covering underneath OR the face covering includes a facial drape, such as the Humanity Shield.
Any mask that incorporates a one-way valve (typically a raised plastic cylinder about the size of a quarter on the front or side of the mask) that is designed to facilitate easy exhaling is not an acceptable face covering under Marin County’s and the State of California’s face covering order. A mask with a valve should not be used to comply with the Order’s requirements. Valves of that type permit droplet release from the mask, putting others nearby at risk.
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
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What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19 at one of the schools?
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the following things should occur:
- Information is reported to school administration.
- The person either stays home or will be sent home to isolate per Public Health Guidance.
- Families and household members of the student/staff are quarantined and should pursue testing through their health care provider, local community clinic, or Marin Public Health.
- Student families and Staff of the affected cohort are notified by either a phone call or letter.
- The respective student/staff member’s classroom is closed for 10 days from the last known exposure. However, the rest of the school remains OPEN.
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
QUARANTINES / CLOSURES
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If someone in my household tests positive for COVID-19, does my child stay home?
Yes, if someone in your household has tested positive for COVID-19, but your child(ren) tested negative, your child(ren) must still stay home and quarantine for 10 days before they can return to school.
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If my child's cohort has to quarantine, do my other child(ren) also stay home?
Marin Public Health states in the most recent Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3 that “Siblings and household members do not need to stay home if the exposed person can quarantine from household members or if fully vaccinated.”
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What if I need to keep my child home but his/her cohort is still open?
The Learning Support Plan outlines the support students will receive when they must stay home from school due to illness or quarantine. If your child will be absent from school, please notify the school as well as your teacher, so that you may receive the appropriate weekly schedule for your child.
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How do I find out if schools in Marin have positive cases?
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's School Status Dashboard that tracks the reopening status of schools in Marin County.
Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
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What is the difference between isolation and quarantine?
Isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a contagious disease.- Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.
- Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms.
If you test positive for COVID-19, you must isolate according to Marin Public Health’s At home Quarantine & Isolation Safety. You should stay home and away from others during the duration of your isolation: do not go to school or work and do not run errands. Leave only if you have a medical emergency.If you have been in “Close Contact” with people who have tested positive for COVID-19, you must quarantine according to Marin Public Health’s At home Quarantine & Isolation Safety. Your quarantine period lasts 10 days from when you were last in contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19. Like isolation, you should stay home and away from others during quarantine: do not go to school or work and do not run errands. Leave only if you have a medical emergency.
“Close Contact” means:
- any household member
- individuals that have shared a home within 14 days of a person's COVID-19 diagnosis
- intimate partners
- caregivers
- someone who was within six feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or longer.
If you have tested for COVID-19 you must stay at home while waiting for results.Visit Marin Health and Human Service's FAQ – Schools & Education for more information.
TRAVEL
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If I have recently traveled, does my family need to self-quarantine?
Marin Public health has discouraged travel during this time. However, if individuals do travel outside of the Bay Area, public health states that upon your return you should limit contact with others and self-quarantine for 10 days. It is also advised to get tested for COVID-19, 5-7 days after your return and receive a negative test result to return to schools. As a protocol, RUSD has instituted distance learning for the week following Spring Break, as well as provided on-campus testing, to help ensure families follow the proper health and safety protocols to keep our community safe.
TEACHING / LEARNING
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Will “Family Life” be taught to 5th and 8th grade students this school year?
Yes, students at both schools will be provided family life education this year. The District is working on a plan to provide a program to current 6th graders who did not receive the education last spring. Del Mar will share more information with 6th grade parents when it is available.
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Will resources be available this summer for students to mitigate learning loss? (e.g., RazKids, Lexia, Dreambox)?
Students will have access to some of the district subscribed apps over the summer to use on their personal devices. Students will be required to return their RUSD issued iPads at the end of the school year since the Technology department needs to do maintenance work on our district devices. Information will be sent to families regarding the apps and programs that will be available to students over the summer.
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How will students continue to learn when they must stay home from school?
The Learning Support Plan outlines the support students will receive when they must stay home from school due to the Decision Tree for Schools - Tier 3.
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Why is RUSD not pursuing a HyFlex learning model?
Instructional practices differ when teaching for distance vs. in-person learning and a blended approach hinders the teacher’s ability to use the best tool for the learning experience when being split between two pedagogies. For more information, please review the Superintendent’s Letter – November 13.
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What is the difference between asynchronous and synchronous instruction?
Asynchronous instruction primarily comes in the form of teacher-created videos, podcasts or recordings in learning apps. Asynchronous instruction provides a reliable, equitable student experience, while also avoiding lost instruction time caused by environmental and technological issues (slow wifi or other technical issues, interrupting siblings or classmates, the need for parental assistance at a specific time, etc.).
Benefits of Asynchronous instruction:
- Each student can watch at a time and location that is most conducive to their individual learning
- Each student can adjust the speed of content to match their needs (pause and rewind) to avoid missed learning and ensure comprehension
- Each student can reference the content when needed to clarify questions and strengthen learning
- Each student can experience the lesson at their own pace, without classmate interruptions (no classroom management or repetition of content when it is not needed)
Synchronous learning primarily comes in the form of live streaming class instruction or meetings, using Google Meets, which may include the full-class, small group or one-on-one meetings, and office hours. Synchronous platforms provide the social connection and real-time feedback necessary to ensure student well-being, engagement, and support.Benefits of Synchronous instruction:
- Each student can interact with beloved teachers and classmates, providing a valuable social-emotional connection
- Each student can ask questions in real-time to clarify assignments and instruction
- Each student can collaborate with other students, learning how to communicate and listen in an online environment
CAMPUS LOGISTICS
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How often will the tents be used on campuses?
Tents are available for teachers to use throughout the day at their discretion. Some teachers use outdoor spaces more frequently than others, so it is important for all students to dress in warm layers. Please remember that windows are also opened to increase ventilation in the classroom.
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Is there a place for students to store their belongings on campus?
Students may store their backpacks in their classroom. If students have other items, such as a skateboard which they ride to school, they should check with their teacher to identify a designated place for these items.
TRANSPORTATION
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In Phase 4, will the bus program resume?
The Yellow Bus program will not resume this spring, however, will be in service for the 2021-22 school year. Information on pass sales will be forthcoming in the next month.
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Are there talks about resuming the Yellow Bus once we transition to Phase 3?
No, the Yellow Bus program is on temporary hold. Keeping our cohorts from mixing, combined with implementing staggered start and end times at schools to prevent large group gatherings, has created additional challenges when considering potential bus schedules. We will continue to discuss the possibility of reinstating this program as we move into the coming months. We understand that pausing our bus service has created a hardship for families and appreciate your patience.
TECHNOLOGY
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Where can I go to troubleshoot technology issues?
The RUSD Tech team has compiled a series of FAQs to assist with tech troubleshooting. [http://rusd.tech/faq/]