The Clear Creek Amana School board approved the 2021-2022 Return to Learn plans August 11.  Ongoing safety measures will be in place for students and staff for the 2021-2022 school year. New guidance is issued regularly from the Iowa Department of Education and other federal, state, and local agencies.  The Clear Creek Amana Community School District is working hard to be responsive to these guidelines and the needs of our students and community.  This page will be updated regularly as new information is available.  

In addition to our local plan, the Iowa Department of Education has provided this website as a resource for Families and Communities.

We will continue to evaluate and add to the FAQ and mitigation guidance, as well as provide further information, as conditions change. Iowa Department of Public Health shared this document August 5, for schools.

2021-2022 COVID FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Is CCA CSD doing COVID-19 mitigation in the 21-22 school year?
Yes. CCA CSD will continue to follow allowable layered mitigation strategies under Iowa regulations to the extent possible. Sources for these recommendations include the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), local Public Health, and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

Will CCA CSD require face masks this year?
Due to a law (HF847) signed in May 2021, CCA CSD can no longer require face masks to be worn by students or staff. We do strongly encourage masks to be worn.   The CDC and JCPH recommend universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status. 

UPDATE AS OF 10-06-21
Once an individual school building reaches 10% or higher absentee rate due to illnesses, students and staff in that building will be required to wear a face mask for an entire school week.  If during this week that percentage increases, or does not decrease, the district would re-evaluate and notify parents of a potential extension to the mask requirement.

Are face masks required on school buses?
Yes. The CDC issued an Order effective February 1, 2021, imposing a requirement for persons to wear face masks while on public transportation conveyances, and in its Frequently Asked Questions document accompanying the Order the CDC indicates that “passengers and drivers must wear a mask on school buses, including on buses operated by public and private school systems, subject to the exclusions and exemptions in the CDC’s Order.” Starting Thursday, September 9, 2021, any student without a mask or not properly wearing a mask will not be allowed to ride a school bus and parents will be responsible for taking their child(ren) to school and picking them up from school every day.

Are COVID-19 vaccines required for staff or for students?
No, however, CCA CSD strongly encourages anyone eligible to receive a vaccine to do so. According to the CDC, vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

Will elementary students have zoned/separated recess groups?
When outside, there will not be zoned/separated recess groups. This may be re-evaluated if COVID-19 positivity rates increase within the school or community.

If my child is diagnosed with COVID-19, will they be required to stay home?
Yes, children and staff diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 are required to stay home for 10 days after their symptoms start or 10 days after a positive test if they have no symptoms. This includes those who are vaccinated and test positive.

Will parents be notified if there is a positive COVID-19 case in their classroom?
In consideration of our health service staff and their work life balance, the District is adjusting how COVID case communication will be managed.  Beginning Monday, November 8, the COVID case communication will change to the following:

• Building wide email notifications will no longer be sent but parents/guardians can refer to the COVID Dashboard on the District website for daily reporting.

Will the schools do contact tracing this year? Will parents be notified if a child is considered a close contact? 
In consideration of our health service staff and their work life balance, the District is adjusting how COVID case communication will be managed.  Beginning Monday, November 8, the COVID case communication will change to the following:

• Parents of close contacts will receive a text alert through Blackboard notifying them of the close contact and to refer to their email for further details. The email will have instructions and information along with contact information for questions. 

. Please see the link from Iowa Department of Education, specifically question 5 in regard to contact tracing.   DOE Guidance

Will my child be required to quarantine if they are considered a close contact?
We will collaborate with public health to identify and notify close contacts of school exposures. Per IDPH, parents may determine if their child will quarantine as long as they remain symptom free. 

Will CCA CSD have a COVID-19 dashboard on their website? 
Yes. A COVID-19 dashboard will be available on the CCA CSD website this year. The dashboard will be updated daily for percentage of ALL illnesses in each building and weekly for district average.  

Will parents/volunteers be allowed in school buildings? 
Yes, as long as the community spread of COVID-19 remains low to moderate. Visitors should contact the building for current visitor rules and comply with current district mitigation measures.

Are in-person parent-teacher meetings possible?
Meetings with teachers may be either in-person or online as the situation permits.

How will physical distancing be practiced?
Following CDC guidance, the District will work with each attendance center to maximize physical distancing to the extent possible within our buildings and classrooms.

Where will students eat? Will it be socially distanced?
Students will eat in the lunchrooms as long as positivity rates remain low to moderate. Following CDC guidance, physical distancing will be maximized to the extent possible within lunchrooms/cafeterias.  This may be re-evaluated if COVID-19 positivity rates increase within the school or community.

County Levels of Community Transmission (Low, Moderate, Substantial, High) available at: 

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view

ADDITIONAL COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY MITIGATION MEASURES

In general, the following mitigation strategies are in place:

• Hand sanitizer will be available in all classrooms and common areas. Hand washing will be encouraged frequently.
• Any student or staff member with a temperature equal to or greater than 100.4 and/or any other symptoms of an infectious illness should not attend school. 
• Social distancing will be maximized to the extent possible within buildings and classrooms.
• Per current Iowa law, the use of face masks or other face coverings is currently optional in schools.  Clear Creek Amana CSD strongly recommends face masks for vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students according to CDC guidance. 
• Water bottle filling stations and water fountains will be available in all buildings.
• Lockers may be used.
• Regular and deep cleaning procedures will be done by custodial staff. 
• Building wide increased fresh air ventilation and frequent filter changes will continue.
• Visitors should contact the building for current visitor rules and comply with current district mitigation measures.

Quarantine and Isolation:

• If a student(s) tests positive for COVID-19, the students must isolate themselves at home for 10 days (beyond symptom onset OR positive test, whichever comes first). The student may return to school on day 11.
• Parents/guardians of students identified as being in close contact with a person with a confirmed positive COVID-19 diagnosis will be notified via phone call or email.
• Parents/guardians of exposed students who are asymptomatic will determine if their child will quarantine for 14 days to monitor for symptoms.  Exposed students who do not quarantine are encouraged to wear a mask, social distance and discuss post exposure testing with their healthcare provider.
• If parents choose not to have their child quarantined for 14 days, students may attend school and school activities as long as they remain symptom free. 

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL/MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

The District is committed to helping our students and our families. Each student will be provided resources to support their social-emotional wellbeing. Counselors and School Family Liaisons are available for student support throughout the year.  Please click here for a list of additional family resources.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS

• Food and Nutrition: Free meal information.
• Before and After School Care Option
• Preschool: Free morning or afternoon preschool options.
• Transportation Information

It's critical to keep your contact information up to date to receive immediate and emergency communications from CCA.
Please check your email communications often.