Dear SFUSD Staff,

We are encouraged by the trends of declining COVID-19 cases in San Francisco and recent announcements from national, state, and local health officials easing COVID-19 requirements. 

Starting March 12, 2022, masking will be strongly recommended but not required at SFUSD middle and high schools (not including K-8 schools) and at central office worksites. Given lower vaccination rates, elementary, including K-8, and early education schools will still have mandatory indoor mask wearing until April 2, 2022 after which masking will be strongly recommended but not required. 

Please remember, no middle, high school or central office site or classroom may require indoor masking after March 12. People may choose to wear a mask, and we must respect their right to do so. 

Below are some additional updates: 

Group Contact Tracing

SFUSD is currently using an individual contact tracing approach, which means students who test positive stay home to isolate, and those who are close contacts must follow quarantine protocols based on their vaccination or COVID-19 immunity status. This contact tracing approach is permissible under SFDPH guidance.

SFDPH recently released guidance on an alternative approach to individual contact tracing called “group tracing.” Group tracing allows students who are close contacts to stay in school unless they have or develop symptoms. Testing is highly recommended but not required.

Aligned with public health guidance, SFUSD will be shifting to the group tracing approach starting March 24, 2022 to maximize in-person instruction for our students. To prepare for this change, SFUSD has taken the following steps:

• Increased the inventory of test kits through procurement, partnership with the City and County of San Francisco, and donations from the business community.
• Reduced wait times for test results so that test results are now usually available within 11 hours (versus 60 hours during the peak of Omicron-driven surge). 
• Provided personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff and students as part of the layered approach to prevent the worst outcomes of COVID-19. You can learn about the availability of PPE at your school site via this dashboard on the SFUSD website.
• Partnered with CDPH, SFDPH, and other organizations to host vaccination clinics at SFUSD school sites.

Here are some steps that you can take today:

Get vaccinated! Children 5 years and older can receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Many in California are taking this important step to protect themselves and others. Safe, free, effective COVID-19 vaccines are available regardless of immigration or insurance status. Students will be required to be vaccinated for in-person learning starting the term following full approval of the vaccine by the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their grade span.

Register for a Color self-swab account. SFUSD continues to partner with Color to provide free and reliable molecular testing services for the SFUSD community. Please note that Color test kits are being collected daily at every SFUSD school, Color mobile sites, and central office locations. Learn about all the resources to support you in creating your account, including in-person help at SFUSD Color mobile testing sites for account creation and kit activation for self-swab testing: sfusd.edu/colormobilesites.

Learn about COVID-19 tests available to you. Watch this short video (available in Spanish and Cantonese) to learn about the different types of tests that are available at SFUSD, and how you can access them. You are encouraged to research and choose additional testing offerings through your primary health provider, the City and County of San Francisco, and other sources such as free at-home tests kits for your household through the federal government.

Mark your calendars. SFUSD will be providing 2 at-home rapid test kits for all students and staff for use when returning from Spring Break on April 4 and when returning from extended time away. 

Update your contact information. Please make sure your contact information is current in EMPowerSF, as this is the primary way for us to share important information with you. 

Please know we are committed to making our SFUSD schools safe, welcoming, and healthy spaces where our students and staff can learn, grow, and thrive together. 

Thank you for your continued efforts in service of SFUSD students and families.

Sincerely,
Dr. Vincent Matthews