The Saddleback Valley Unified School District values providing reliable and accurate information regarding COVID cases; the District does not want to provide incorrect or partial information when reporting COVID case counts. With the recent COVID surge as we returned to instruction in January 2022, the District's focus is to keep our students, staff, and faculty safe by providing those with COVID or close contacts with reliable updated information regarding quarantine and returning to school or work. With the information changing on a nearly daily basis by state and local Public Health Agencies, the importance of updating COVID positive cases and close contacts with the information is a priority so we can return students and staff to classrooms as soon as possible. Additionally, we are funneling our District Office personnel resources to our school sites so that in-person student learning continues as we experience isolation periods of school staff members.

This revised COVID-19 Dashboard lists all reported positive cases amongst staff and students at a school site. As this is all reported cases, it doesn’t differentiate between those who were on campus while infectious, and those who were not on campus while infectious. These numbers represent COVID-19 positive cases amongst the larger SVUSD community, not just the positive cases on site as previously reported.

School communities will continue to be notified on school days by their principal of reported positive cases. 

Prior to attending school, each student should complete a daily symptom self-check. Please check for any symptoms associated with COVID-19. Symptoms include:

• Temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Sore throat
• Cough (for students with chronic cough due to allergies or asthma, a change in their cough from usual)
• Difficulty breathing (for students with asthma, check for a change from their baseline breathing)
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever

If your child experiences any of these symptoms or was in contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive:

• Keep your child home from school
• Get your child tested for COVID-19.
• Contact your child’s school and report that your child is sick.

The Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) Student Symptom Decision Tree is used by the school to determine next steps for students exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. 

Saddleback Valley Unified School District notifies families and the school community of any COVID-19 positive case. The COVID-19 Positive Notification document outlines the different notifications sent home to families. 

Suspected Cases

If a student or staff member is sent home with two or more COVID-19 symptoms, they may return to school when one of these conditions is completed:

• A doctor approves a return to school
• A negative COVID-19 test
• After completing quarantine

Confirmed Negative Case

If the case is determined to be negative, no further community notification occurs. 

Confirmed Positive Case

When the school or District receives information regarding an employee or student testing positive for COVID-19 the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Safety staff will notify impacted families with additional information based upon consultation with the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Elementary students who need to quarantine due to a positive test, close contact or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 will have 2 options:

1. Independent Study
   1. Your student's teacher will send work that reflects the curriculum that your child will be missing in order to keep up with the rest of their class. The teacher may send one packet of work for the entire quarantine or may send multiple packets.
   2. The work will be completed independently by your student.
   3. Part-time grade level intervention teachers will be available Monday through Thursday with set schedules for virtual support hours to assist students with any question. Attendance is not required and is an open door policy. See attached schedule for virtual Instructional Support hours.
2. Traditional Make Up Homework Policy
   1. Board Policy allows students with excused absences 2 days for every 1 day of an excused absence to turn in work for full credit.
   2. You may choose this option instead of Independent Study.

A letter with more detailed information regarding independent study will be sent to you along with your quarantine notification.