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Ready, Together! FAQ

Masking

  • Are masks required? Masking is strongly recommended at indoor school settings. Masking may be required by public health orders and/or after exposure to a positive case. Please check with your school office for the latest information. 

Wellness & Hygiene

  • What is a wellness/health screening? Wellness screening is a strategy to help limit the spread of COVID-19 by asking staff, students, and visitors to assess their symptoms prior to entering the school. To accomplish this, signage is posted at all entrances in addition to consistent messaging to remind everyone to help keep our schools safe and healthy. For more information on wellness screenings, click here. 

  • What symptoms should I watch for? COVID-19 symptoms may include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, feeling tired, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose, or new loss of taste or smell. For younger students, it is best to screen for fever (greater than or equal to 100.4°F or 38°C), diarrhea, vomiting, and new cough (different from baseline). Generally, if someone does not feel well, it is recommended that they stay home, alert the school, and seek guidance from their healthcare provider.

  • What do I do if I have symptoms? It is important for us all to monitor our health each day. If you don't feel well or have symptoms of respiratory illness, stay home, let the school know, and contact your healthcare provider for guidance. To learn more about COVID-19 symptoms, visit the Centers’ for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 webpage. 

Upgraded Ventilation

  • How has the district upgraded ventilation in schools? LESD follows the latest public health guidance for optimizing indoor ventilation and has made significant investment in upgrading heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units (HVAC) districtwide. This process is focused on increasing exchange air, the replacement of inside air with outside air, and filtering return air, the filtration of air recirculated in the room. The goal is to maximize exchange air and properly filter return air.

  • What specifically has changed? We have enhanced ventilation in our classrooms by 1) Increasing, to the fullest extent possible, the outside air through the HVAC equipment with outside air dampers set to the maximum fresh air intake; 2) Programming thermostats to operate the HVAC equipment fans for extended hours to circulate room air into the unit filters for removal of contaminants; 3) Replacing existing filters on HVAC units to improve the filtration efficiency; 4) Providing portable air purifiers with HEPA filters in all classrooms; and 5) Placing box fans in all classrooms. Additionally, windows and/or doors are kept open whenever possible to help increase exchange air and outdoor spaces are utilized for instructional activity and meals, weather permitting. 

Containment Protocols
  • In the event of a likely or positive case, what actions are taken? The District has taken every precaution to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 transmission within our school community and has plans in place to manage exposure to COVID-19, including the evaluation of potential hazards, review of policies/procedures, and the investigation of positive cases. In the event of a laboratory-confirmed positive case, we follow the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health Exposure Management Plan, which can be viewed here. 
  • How do I report a positive case? If your child is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 or has been in close contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19, parents/guardians must notify the school office as soon as possible. Your child must quarantine and should seek medical advice from your healthcare provider. COVID-19 related absences are excused absences. 
  • What happens if a student is displaying symptoms of COVID-19? When a student develops symptoms of illness consistent with COVID-19 at school, the student will wait in COVID-19 Isolation area (“COSI”) and be given a surgical mask while arrangements can be made for the parent/guardian to pick up their child. The school will provide information to the parent on resources to get tested for COVID-19. Anyone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 is to follow LACDPH Home Isolation Instructions and may not return until they have met criteria to discontinue isolation. Quarantine/isolation duration is determined by LACDPH. Federal leave may be available for parents to care for sick children and independent study may be available to continue learning at home.
  • What is isolation? Isolation involves keeping people with confirmed cases of a contagious disease separated from people who are not sick. Visit the LACDPH isolation webpage for more information.