Last Updated: Thursday, May 19, 2022RECENT UPDATES: COVID-19 vaccine not required for students, Up-to-Date Decision Tree; Masks optional; Free testing available
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Masks optional for students and staff. Masks are no longer required, but are optional for those who prefer to wear them.
Social Distancing optional. Teachers have and staff have the discretion to determine social distancing based on the subject matter and lessons being taught.
Keep sick kids home. Children exhibiting even mild flu-like or cold-like symptoms must be kept home in order to avoid potential spread of COVID-19. Refer to the Decision-Tree for additional information.
Those who test positive for COVID must remain in isolation for five (5) full days. In order to not wear a mask upon returning, a negative test must be provided, otherwise the individual will be required to wear a mask for five (5) additional days following returning to school.
Refer to the Decision-Tree for additional information.
Free rapid COVID tests are available for students, their families, and staff. If you have been exposed to a person with COVID and do not have symptoms, you will need to wait 5 days after exposure to get tested.
Click here for more information about free COVID testing through Woodland Public Schools.
Data as of 5/17/2022 11:59PM PT from Washington State Data Dashboard
Masks are optional. Masks are no longer required for students and staff in school. However, masks will be made available free-of-charge to students and staff who would prefer to wear them, as long as supplies last. Bullying and harassment of individuals who choose to wear masks will not be tolerated.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
On Wednesday, April 13, the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH), the agency who determines immunization requirements for students in all K-12 schools, voted to not require Washington’s students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for school attendance.
The agency’s decision means that immunization requirements for our students will remain unchanged for the upcoming 2022-23 school year.
The SBOH overwhelmingly supports the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine and notes that vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and those around you, particularly against severe illness.
Before making this decision, the State Board of Health organized a technical advisory group made up of doctors, public health officials, school partners, and other community members. Over a series of meetings, the group met to understand the benefits and challenges of requiring a COVID-19 vaccination for students.
In late February, the advisory group concluded their work and recommended to the State Board of Health that the vaccine not be required. In their meeting on April 13, the SBOH reviewed the recommendation and decided they agreed.
We are anticipating the current health and safety guidance from the state Department of Health will remain in place next fall. This includes regular cleaning and disinfecting, encouraging masks, sharing reminders of proper hand hygiene, and physical distancing to the extent possible while ensuring a full-time in-person opportunity for all students.
As a reminder, as we have learned throughout the pandemic, the situation with the virus can evolve and sometimes the guidance changes for us to continue providing the safest learning environment possible for our school community.
At this time, there have not been changes to Governor Inslee’s proclamation requiring school employees be vaccinated against COVID-19.
As always, we thank our wonderful Woodland community for your support as we navigate and implement changes resulting from state guidance.
Monday, February 28, 2022
On Monday, February 28, 2022, the governors of Washington, Oregon, and California announced that, with declining COVID case rates and hospitalizations plus changes to CDC masking guidance, all three states will be adjusting the end date to their statewide indoor mask requirements.
The mask mandate – including schools and school buses – will now end at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 11, moved up from the initially announced date of March 21.
The first school day that masks will be optional at school and on school buses is Monday, March 14. Masks will remain optional for anyone who desires to wear them following the end of the mandate. Out of support and respect for our fellow community members, staff, and students, any harassment of those who choose to continue wearing masks will not be tolerated anywhere in Woodland Public Schools' facilities or on its campuses.
As you can imagine, there are still many details that need to be understood and decided. The Washington State Department of Health will be releasing updated school guidelines next week, which should provide more information and clarification for schools. We will share this information when it is available.
You can read the full announcement about the end to indoor mask requirements here: https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/governors-newsom-brown-and-inslee-announce-updated-health-guidance
Over the past few weeks, Woodland Public Schools has seen a number of students who attended school with mild symptoms and later tested positive for COVID-19. These students exposed others who had to be quarantined and missed out on school, too.
Additionally, some students have attended school after an out-of-school exposure to a person known to have COVID-19. These students ultimately tested positive for COVID-19 and exposed other students to the virus, too.
As challenging as these times have been, it’s important that we remain vigilant. By taking symptoms seriously regardless of their severity, you’re not only protecting your own child but other children, too.
COVID-19 symptoms can include some or any of the following:
By working together, we can beat COVID-19 and return our schools to normalcy sooner rather than later.
The DOH has released a COVID-19 symptoms flowchart for families to use to determine next steps should family members develop symptoms of COVID-19:
This section contains the current status of mandates and requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants currently affecting Woodland Public Schools. More details can be found further down, but the key details will be summarized and updated as they change in this section.
Washington State has mandated universal mask wearing for all students and staff in public schools regardless of vaccination status. Research studies continue to demonstrate that mask-wearing dramatically reduces the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.
In addition to wearing masks at all times, students must sit in assigned seats. The reason for assigned seating is that doing so permits contact tracing. In the event of a student testing positive for COVID-19, we can contact anyone who the student may have come in contact with them so they can also get tested. Students who refuse to wear masks or sit in assigned seating will not be permitted to ride school buses.
All contact tracing is done confidentially - individuals are informed they came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, but the identity of that person is not shared.
Woodland students who stay home from school with certain symptoms must provide a negative test for COVID-19 before being permitted to return to school. Unfortunately, COVID-19 symptoms are similar to many forms of illness and include the following:
Woodland Public Schools understands that arranging for a COVID-19 test may be costly or difficult, so the district provides free testing to all Woodland students, employees, and verified close contacts of Woodland students including parents and caregivers.
Testing hours are 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and appointments can be made online here.
Eligible families should still apply for Free and Reduced Meals Program. Despite meals remaining free for all students, there are many other benefits available to families who qualify for the Free and Reduced Meals Program. You can determine if you qualify and apply using the following documents: Download the English Version by Clicking Here -or- Download the Spanish version by Clicking Here.
INTERNET ACCESS PROGRAM: The Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program offers internet service for families in need. Click here to learn more about the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) Program.
P-EBT IS BACK! If your student qualifies for free or reduced meals and missed meals due to remote learning, you may qualify for the Pandemic Electronic Balance Transfer Program. Click here for more details.
Woodland Public Schools' Information Technology department has given access to GoGuardian software which allow parents and guardians to restrict the access their students have on Chromebooks including limit time use and website access. Click here to visit the home tech support website for more information.
Both breakfast and lunch are provided free-of-charge to students in in-school learning. In addition, the district will continue to offer meal delivery and meal pickup at Woodland Middle School. For more details, please visit our Food Services webpage.
Families who qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program may also qualify for free internet access. Click here for more details.
Many mental health providers are offering free services to those who need them. Please visit our dedicated Mental Health Services webpage to find a provider who may be able to help you and your family. For a downloadable list of Mental Health Services available to residents of Clark and Cowlitz counties, click here to download a printable PDF.