Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs

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Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQs
Coronavirus graphic

Updated April 14, 2020

 

When is the last day of school?
School districts statewide take direction on matters such as this from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). We will update this as we get new information.

 

Will seniors graduate on time?
We understand many families and our high school seniors are concerned about meeting graduation requirements to support their post-secondary transition. We will update families when we have more information.

 

How can high school students register for classes next year? How is scheduling taking place?
Please contact your high school directly for registration information. Office staff are checking voicemail on the main phone line.

 

What is the plan with AP, IB and SAT/ACT testing extensions?

For information, please visit the OSD Supplemental Learning Resources webpage.

 

Will my child’s IEP services continue during the closure?
As with other academic instruction, special education services (along with homebound and home-hospital instruction) will be suspended during the school closure. Families are encouraged to consult the supplemental learning resources on the district website for assistance. We are expecting guidance from OSPI concerning IEPs and evaluations that come due during the closure.

 

My child paid for the PSAT, IB and AP tests for this spring. If they are canceled, will they be refunded?

Yes, but at this time we are hopeful that the tests will be administered.

 

Is Cispus for fifth graders canceled or postponed?
All Cispus trips for the 2019-20 school year have been canceled. Fees will be reimbursed automatically; the district is in the process of reimbursing these now.

 

How can my student get a signature for Running Start if schools are closed?
Please contact the high school counseling department at your school.

 

How can an alumni obtain copies of transcripts, SAT scores or other educational records?
Please contact your high school directly.

 

How do I get a refund for fees paid to my student's school for costs such as spring sports,  lunches, ASB cards, etc?
With the Governor’s proclamation that schools will not re-open for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, and also, that spring sports are canceled, we will be refunding many of the school fees and pay-to-play fees. Spring pay-to-play fees and CISPUS fees will be automatically refunded and are underway. Families that would like an ASB refund (where cards were purchased just for the spring season), or a lunch account refund, or a different type of refund, please email [email protected]. In the email, please list the item for refund, the child’s name and school associated with the fee, and your contact information. Refunds will be made based on the original form of payment; credit card payments will be refunded to the credit card. Payments made by check or cash will be refunded via a check, mailed to the student’s home. Please note, lunch account balances will automatically carry forward to the 2020-21 school year, if that option works for your family.

 

I have placed a large sum into my child’s lunch account. Can I have a refund?
Yes, we are happy to process a refund. Please contact [email protected], and give us your name, your child’s name and your child’s school. If paid with a credit card, a refund will be credited; if paid with cash, you will receive a check within 5-7 days of the request.  



 

Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Olympia School District continues to monitor and communicate with local and state health officials regarding the new coronavirus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, and will continue to follow their professional guidance. We currently do not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in our district; however, we recognize this is an evolving issue statewide.

 

What are you doing to prepare for the possibility of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Olympia School District?
The Olympia School District has a Contingency Planning Committee that has been meeting to update operational strategies and protocols in the event of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our schools and/or support buildings. While currently COVID-19 has not been declared a pandemic, this committee has also updated the district’s Pandemic Contingency Plan. While the goal is to sustain district operations, the team is also reviewing protocol in the event of school closure(s). The team is made up of the superintendent, nurses and district administrators from departments including Student Support, Operations, Communications, Technology, and Elementary and Secondary Education.

Are you doing any extra cleaning or disinfecting of classrooms as a preventative measure?
Our custodial staff clean and disinfect our schools and support buildings daily. Custodians use third party certified “green” cleaners and disinfect with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered disinfectant. Using best practice techniques, cleaning emphasis is on high touch surfaces which may include door knobs, light switches, desks, tables, countertops, restroom fixtures, door push plates, elevator buttons and handrails.


Should circumstances change and warrant it, the school district has plans in place for more intensive cleaning and disinfecting.


Are you taking any other health precautions in your schools and support buildings?
Yes, we have encouraged staff in all of our schools to reinforce health tips with students such as proper handwashing, covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze, and staying home when they are sick. We have also ordered additional masks for our health rooms. The Thurston County Health Department recommends students wear masks who come to the health room with a fever and cough.


The Washington State  Department of Health also recently updated the length of time to keep students home when sick. DOH advises if you have a fever and cough, stay home until your fever has been gone for 72 hours. DOH defines a fever as 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and above. This is an increase from the previous recommendation of "24" hours of staying away from others.

 

Are you allowing students who have traveled internationally to come back to school when they return home? 

We follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and our state health officials. 

If there are school closures, are you going to offer distance learning?
The Olympia School District will work with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction on issues related to state requirements and regulations pertaining to attendance and credits and make-up days if necessary, and communicate updates to staff, students, parents and the public. 


Who should I contact if I have coronavirus concerns about other educational campuses in our community that serve OSD students, such as South Puget Sound Community College Running Start programs or New Market Skills Center? 

Please contact those educational institutions directly with any concerns. They communicate directly with students enrolled on their campuses.




Common Questions about COVID-19 (this information and more is posted on the state Department of Health website).

What is a coronavirus?
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that usually cause mild respiratory illnesses such as the common cold. Some coronaviruses have caused more severe illness, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new coronavirus that was not identified in humans before December 2019.

What are common symptoms of COVID-19?
Patients with COVID-19 have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath. It takes two to 14 days after a person gets the virus in their body to become ill. COVID-19 is a new disease, and health officials are learning more each day about its symptoms and how it is spread.

How does the virus spread?
Most often, it is spread from person-to-person via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how flu and other respiratory pathogens spread. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Often, with most respiratory viruses, people are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).