Dear Warrior Community,
As a reminder, all IUSD schools will be on break for the Thanksgiving holiday, beginning Wednesday, November 25 and returning Monday, November 30. As you and your family prepare to enjoy some time off, I would like to take this opportunity to share some important reminders and resources that may be helpful and also help keep our school safe.
What You Can Do to Help Keep our School and Community Safe
The spread of COVID-19 remains low in IUSD schools, as evidenced by the District’s Dashboard and contact tracing process. Collectively, we are doing a great job but we need your help to continue to keep our school and community safe, which starts by following state and local guidelines to reduce community transmission of OCVID-19. According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, simple steps such as physical distancing, wearing a mask, washing your hands often, avoiding crowds and close contact, monitoring your health daily and staying home when ill can greatly reduce community transmission of COVID-19.
To learn more about how you can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, please visit the Orange County Health Care Agency’s “What You Should Know” webpage, which provides important information in a variety of languages. Also visit the California Department of Public Health’s “Healthier Holidays” webpage for information about celebrating the holidays safely.
California Department of Public Health Travel Advisory
As you anticipate making holiday plans, which may include travel, please continue to monitor and follow all CDC and California Department of Public Health guidelines. According to both agencies, travel increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. As a result, the California Department of Public Health recently issued a new travel advisory, which states, “Persons arriving in California from other states or countries, including returning California residents, should practice self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival.” While this is not mandatory, it is recommended to help prevent the transmission of the virus in our community and schools. If you do travel for the holidays, please consider self-quarantining for 14 days after you arrive home in California. If your student or a member of your household experiences COVID-19 symptoms, do not send your student to school and contact your physician for next steps. School staff will work with you and your family to continue your student’s education during this time.
To learn more about traveling during COVID-19, including health risks and travel tips, please visit the CDC’s travel page.
Additional Resources
- California Department of Public Health Travel Advisory
- California Department of Public Health COVID-19 Resource Page
- Orange County Health Care Agency COVID-19 Resource Page
- IUSD’s Health and Safety Planning Webpage
- IUSD’s COVID-19 Resource Page
We’re Grateful for Our School Community
Finally, I want to thank our students, staff and families. Your efforts to help keep our school community safe has and continues to make a difference. We are deeply grateful for your partnership, commitment and hard work and we are honored to serve this outstanding community. Please enjoy a restful and rejuvenating Thanksgiving break.