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COVID-19 Mitigation Center

January 3, 2023

COVID-19 Mitigation Center

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COVID-19 / Communicable Illness Mitigation Center

 Updated SY 22-23 COVID/Communicable Illness Mitigation Plan

Student Guidance Tree   STAFF Guidance Tree
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Schoolwide Updates

January 3, 2023

The SY 22-23 COVID Mitigation Plan has been updated to include both COVID-19 and Communicable Illnesses - this change is in response to the various communicable illnesses present throughout the academic year (flu, COVID, RSV, etc...). In an effort to move in the direction of normalcy, and to allow our students to have the most academic time available to them we are moving away from close contacts and contact tracing (please see Student and Staff Guidance Tree's). This decision is based on the data SFIS Health Center has collected over the last year and a half showing a low occurence of close contact transmissions at SFIS, combined with the high prevalence of vaccinated students/staff here at SFIS. This plan is subject to change as needed throughout the rest of the school year. For questions please contact Jenna Burgess, SFIS Emergency Response Coordinator at jburgess@sfis.k12.nm.us .

October 6, 2022

As SFIS students and staff are required students and staff to have “up-to-date” COVID-19 vaccinations according to the CDC, updated vaccinations are necessary. With the release of the new bivalent booster, CDC updated their definition of “up-to-date” COVID vaccination (see more information on the CDC website). This means that SFIS is mandating the new bivalent booster for all eligible SFIS staff and students. The deadline for getting the booster is October 28, 2022.

Boosters are available at the IHS clinics in your communities; contact your clinic to schedule a booster with that site. SFIS will offer bivalent booster clinics in coordination with IHS in Santa Fe on the dates below to our students who turn in consent forms. Read here for more information.

September 30, 2022

In the month of September, our COVID-positive cases total 56 staff and students. Our total school population, including staff and students, of 966 so these numbers represent 5.8% of the school. There are no hospitalizations due to COVID because we are 98% vaccinated. Our response has been swift and necessary to stop the spread. As of Monday, we returned to mandatory indoor masking and, on Tuesday, moved to Phase 3 for Extracurricular Activities and Sporting Events. We continue to reiterate our more restrictive COVID Safe Practices by encouraging students and staff to keep a distance of 6 feet apart, frequent hand washing, and not to share food or drinks. With love for our students, Superintendent Abeyta ??

September 27, 2022

It has been determined by the SFIS Health Center and Student Living departments that we are seeing an uptick of COVID-19 transmission on campus. For that reason SFIS is returning to the masking mandate until further notice. Read the parent letter here:  INDOOR MASKING IS REQUIRED. Once the uptick is mitigated the masking mandate will be reevaluated, and communications will be sent out regarding changes.

The SFIS COVID community level is being added as a community that could affect our masking policy. If upticks of COVID-19 are noted in data seen by the SFIS Health Center then our masking status will be adjusted accordingly. The number of positive cases can be found in the COVID Mitigation Center on the SFIS website - SY 22-23 COVID Positive Case Tracker. Upticks will be determined by the SFIS Health Center in conjunction with the HS and MS Student Living departments. 

In addition, SFIS has moved to Phase 3 for Extracurricular Activitites and Sporting Events. EC Activities - Athletics

September 9, 2022

As of 6pm 9/8/22 all counties within the State of New Mexico have reached community COVID levels of ‘Low’ or ‘Medium’! Per the COVID Mitigation Plan this means that SFIS is moving from Indoor Masking Required to Indoor Masking Recommended. This data is provided by the CDC and is available for viewing here. This data is updated Thursdays at 6pm MST, be on the look out for updates on the masking policy. Masking is a personal choice, we urge you to make this decision in consideration of those around you, both at home and at school, and remember that masking is still recommended. Be sure to respect others decisions regarding masking and the approach they take – there is no right or wrong answer here.

August 26, 2022

Immunization Requirements

One way of preventing the spread of COVID and other illnesses is by staying up-to-date with immunizations, and we are currently working on confirming student immunization records for SY22-23.

SFIS requires that all students be up-to-date on vaccines included in the New Mexico Schedule of Immunization.

In addition, the SFIS Board of Trustees approved a COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate, which requires students and staff to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination. As of August 25, 2022, up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination includes one booster for all aged 5 and older and 2 boosters for adults aged 50+ (or immunocompromised). You can check the ”When are you up-to-date?” tool on the CDC website to confirm your student’s booster eligibility.

Day students may submit the “Exemption from Immunization” form, but dorm students will not be able to reside in the dormitory without up-to-date immunizations.

This means that all students will be required to be up-to-date on all immunizations, including all CDC-recommended COVID-19 boosters, if eligible, by October 21, 2022. Students who are not up-to-date with their immunizations by October 21, 2022 will not be allowed to stay in the dorms.

We want to ensure that you are informed with enough time to have your students boosted and immunized to prevent sickness. If you have questions about immunizations, please contact the Supervisory School Nurse, Helene Quintana, at hiquintana@sfis.k12.nm.us or 505-216-7423.

August 9, 2022

Welcome back Braves and Lady Braves! With the start of SY 22-23 we have posted updated Guidance Tree’s for SFIS students and staff. Additionally the Re-Entry Plan from SY 21-22 is now the called the COVID Mitigation Plan for SY 22-23. This document is based on the principles established in the Re-Entry Plan with a few changes. Below you will find a few answers to some frequently asked questions:

  1. What does it mean to be Up-to-Date?
    1. This is based on the CDC definition of being Up-to-Date: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
    2. 1 booster for all aged 5 and older, 2 boosters for adults aged 50+ (or immunocompromised)
  2. Are masks still mandated at SFIS?
    1. Since SFIS serves students from various communities across a large area, masking requirements will be determined by community levels as provided by the CDC, if any of the counties in NM from which our students reside are in ‘high’ community levels the mask madate will remain.
    2. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html to check your county’s community level at any time (this data is updated weekly).
  3. Will SFIS still be checking vaccination status for visitors at the gate?
    1. No, the purpose of vaccines are to strengthen the body’s response to introduction to the virus, causing a weaker viral response (less severe symptoms, less likely to cause significant damage and or death). The purpose of vaccines is not to reduce transmission rates (that is however a secondary effect of herd levels of immunization). The vaccine mandate is based on the increased level of safety of our staff and students, and by association their families and communities. 
    2. Allowance of visitors and spectators will still be based on the phased approach (see Gatherings section of the COVID Mitigation Plan for the phases)
  4. Will there be testing for return from Summer Break?
    1. Yes, there will be mass testing at the return from all major breaks and cohort testing (33% SFIS staff/student population) once a month on months that do not have a mass testing event.
    2. Cohort assignments will be shared in August.

If you have further questions regarding COVID Mitigation measures for SY 22-23 please contact the SFIS Emergency Response Coordinator - Jenna Burgess by email at jburgess@sfis.k12.nm.us

 

 Extracurricular Activities / Sporting Events Re-Entry Phases

Gatherings

Links to Letters and Documents